Midnight Carnival
by Cris
Summary: AU vampire twoshot. Edward finds himself trapped, caged like an animal by the proprietors of the Midnight Carnival. They're starving him and he needs to find a way out. A mysterious, quiet girl, also kept captive, may just hold the key to his salvation.
1. Chapter 1

_No ACAP or Lullaby updates this week; I was working on this instead. I can't quite call it a crossover because...well, it's not. I do have to credit Peter S. Beagle's The Last Unicorn though, and if you know it, you'll understand why. The original Midnight Carnival belongs to him, and to his creation Mommy Fortuna. I've also borrowed a bit from his text in one scene, because he's just that good, but I've placed asterisks around the quoted (and sometimes paraphrased) material. Content warning: graphic violence and a rape scene._

_I've taken some liberties with vampire abilities and such, as you'll see, but tried to keep everything as close to canon as possible in that respect. Um, okay, I lied. Close to canon with vampires, but not with werewolves. Jacob lovers might want to stay away._

_All standard disclaimers apply._

* * *

**Midnight Carnival**

Confusion. Pain. Intense pain. Why pain? Was Jane here? Kate? But Kate wouldn't hurt him, would she? Or had he done something to incur her wrath?

He tried to remember, but couldn't. Couldn't even begin to know what his mind had forgotten. Why was he here? Where was _here_, anyway? What had happened to him?

A dry, chuckling laugh, like bones rattling together, burst through the pain in his head. It cut - sliced through the confusion and seized his heart in a terrifying grip, as if pinning it in an iron cage, forcing it out of his chest, right through his ribcage. He writhed, crying out finally as the agony grew too great.

Another laugh. "Our ancestors were wrong, it seems. Cold iron cannot hold you, but I've found something that can."

Burning. Pain. Someone had ripped his living entrails from his body, he was sure of it. Left them there in front of him, pulsing and bloody. The hard voice, low and gunmetal grey, had reached inside his ribs and grasped his heart, forced him to watch as the living organ was thrown into a fire. He couldn't see, but that was what it felt like. Drills ripped and tore, screwing into each inch of his body - the tender soles of his feet, the sensitive knobs of spine and curve of palm.

Tears. Through the burning pain and agony, he smelled the distinct salt of human tears. They couldn't possibly be his; he hadn't cried for eighty years or more. Had he? Maybe it was all a dream, everything he remembered...or thought he did. He twisted and turned, unable to lie still, feeling the bite and press of pain in every inch of his body. Someone was ripping off his skin, turning it inside out. They would wear him as a coat, as a second skin, a shield of impenetrable armor.

But was that even possible? Impenetrable skin. Funny. Where had he come up with that? Because he certainly didn't feel impenetrable at the moment as pain lanced through him, whatever was inside slowly leaking out.

Inside? He knew what was inside, didn't he? In his own body? What was in all bodies, of course; why should he be any different? Flesh and blood, cartilage and bone, soft floppy organs - so fragile, so delicate.

He wouldn't survive this. No one could possibly survive this.

Past the harsh, labored sound of his own breath, he heard someone crying. Not himself. He was too far gone to cry; he could barely make himself breathe. His throat couldn't handle any more screaming.

This wasn't screaming, though. It was a soft sound, scared and tense. Hurting. Almost hysterical, but quiet. Not shrieking.

"Oh, how sweet," the gunmetal voice said, chuckling again like steel. "Victoria, see here. The baby's crying for our newest acquisition."

"Don't fret, pretty girl," a female voice said, floating to him from the frothy haze of red and grey that was all he could see. "His kind have no souls. He's just a dumb animal stupid enough to get caught in our trap; he isn't worth your tears. Save them for something better."

"Please," a third voice begged. "Please, please stop." This voice had been crying; he could hear the tears, round and liquid and sweet, as she spoke. "Don't hurt him. Please stop!"

"And what entertainment will you give us instead, pretty one?" Gunmetal. Black powder, steel. Flint. Fire. A glimmer of suggestion, something that shivered down his spine and made him feel both dirty and afraid, just hearing it.

The soft, teary voice caught, and he heard an audible swallow. "You'll do it anyway," she whispered.

"But it's no fun when you don't play along," the cold female voice said. "Less fun, anyway."

A quiet, desperate whimper from the crying voice made Edward writhe. Hearing her pain hurt him almost as much as whatever else was being done to his body. "Please," she said. "Just...please."

"A game, then," the male voice said. "A game, and we'll stop our fun with the new acquisition for now." He paused, then repeated his last two words. "For now," he said again, and the intent was clear.

"I've got a good game," the cold female voice said. "Let's call it 'Naughty Runaway.'" She giggled, the sound abysmally cheerful and out of place. "We'll even give you a head start. Isn't that nice of us?"

No answer from the soft-voiced girl.

"All right, pretty baby," the man said, eagerness infusing his tone. "I'm releasing the acquisition now. Victoria will count to twenty, and then we're coming to find you."

"One." The female didn't waste any time. "Two. Three."

A shuddering half-breath tore from the soft-voiced girl's throat, and then he heard the rustling crunch of fallen leaves below rushing feet.

The pain abruptly vanished, and he slumped to an unfamiliar wooden surface. Dark and silence swam up to meet him, unfamiliar and unwelcome. Before he surrendered to unconsciousness, he heard another bone-rattling laugh from the man. "Silly girl," he almost cooed. "So trusting, even now."

Two more sets of footsteps rushed away, but he was past caring at this point. He closed his eyes and knew nothing more.

* * *

Cold. Ache. Hard floor. Thirst - aching thirst.

He opened blurry eyes and saw bars. Unfamiliar bars.

Slowly he stretched out an arm, raising a hand in front of his eyes. Focusing carefully, he managed to make out the knob of a knuckle, then the pale matte gleam of a fingernail. He blinked several times, slow and cautious, as his sight returned. There was dirt and blood jammed deep under his short nails, and the smell made him ache with a thirst more dire than any he could remember. In desperation he raised his fingers to his mouth, licking and biting, grimacing at the grit of dirt as the miniscule amount of blood melted on his tongue. It was human, but he didn't care.

Holding back a groan, he dropped his now-clean hand from his mouth and propped himself up slowly against it, leaning heavily on his joints as his muscles quivered. He didn't remember ever feeling so weak, so helpless. He stuck his other hand in his mouth and took his first good look around.

Bars, as he earlier suspected. He growled a little, still burning with thirst. The small amount of blood under his fingernails had done virtually nothing to sate his hunger, but he didn't know when - or even if - he would be able to obtain more. He was in a cage, a barred cage. Beyond the bars, he saw a grimy, withered clearing - a field of dead grass, nothing more. Power lines stretched above them, but he saw no buildings, no roads. There was an RV nearby, old and run-down, painted black. A number of other wheeled cages, all the same size and shape, were circled together in the clearing.

He didn't bother to look at what the cages might hold. He didn't know who had put him in here, or how they'd managed it, but he wasn't sticking around to find out. No substance in the world could hold him - not iron or its modern cousin steel, not silver, not gold, not even the highest-grade titanium alloys.

It couldn't hold him because...because...

His memory slowly bled back into his mind, and he sat up stiffly.

Edward. Edward Cullen. That was his name. And no substance in the world could hold him, because he was a vampire. Strong. Swift. Deadly. Immortal.

And at the moment very, very thirsty.

Edward reached out to grab the bars and rip them apart, but the moment he touched the metal a searing pain ripped through his body, like the strongest fire, the most potent jolt of electricity. He howled and snatched his hands back, tucking them under himself and rocking as the pain ebbed agonizingly slowly.

"Ah ah ah," a voice scolded. "Mustn't touch."

It was the cold female voice from earlier, from his feverish dream of pain. So it hadn't been a dream, then. It had really happened, and this woman had witnessed it all. Edward jerked his head up, instantly focusing on the form of a redheaded woman.

She was neither old nor young - perhaps in her mid-thirties - and her eyes were poison-green, like the stuff of Disney nightmares. Full, almost overblown lips curved in a cruel smile. Without that smile her face might have been pleasant enough, but the light in her eyes was unnatural and cold. It belied the warm color of her long, curly hair.

She had several long, fresh wounds across her left cheek and down her pale throat. Another set curved along her upper arm, just missing the tender veins at the soft inside of her elbow.

"Yes," she said, watching the direction of his eyes. "You took some blood with your claws, but you never got close with your teeth. I hope you enjoyed it." She sauntered closer, no fear in her eyes or her scent, and stopped just on the other side of the bars. "It's the last you'll be getting for quite a while." He could smell the freshly opened skin, though she had obviously washed and treated the wounds. Thirst blinded him, and without thinking he lunged for her.

Pain overtook him again, and he slumped against the bars, writhing, groaning with the intensity of the fire running through his body. How had he managed to endure this, and how long had they tortured him? He didn't know. Finally he wrenched his body away, falling heavily on the wooden floor of his cage. He gasped several times, panting, gulping the air reflexively though his body did not really need it. What he needed was blood - red, pure, energizing blood - and he could not reach it. It was right there, within arms' length, but the bars would not let him pass.

The woman laughed. It was the giggle of a little girl, light and carefree, and it did not belong in her demon mouth. "Oh, this is too fun!" she said, clasping her hands together. "Too, too fun!"

"Bitch," Edward growled, turning his head toward her. He gave her his most fearsome grimace, the look that had more than once caused full gangs of armed men to flee, terrified, from him.

But the woman didn't even flinch. "Oh, silly boy," she said, chuckling a little. "Mustn't speak like that in front of James, now. He wouldn't be too happy if he heard you, and you don't want to make James angry."

She paced slowly in front of his cage, studying him. "You're really remarkably handsome, you know. Quite a happy addition to the Carnival."

A short, sharp cry from the RV abruptly sounded, and was just as abruptly cut short. The woman turned her head and sighed in irritation, folding her arms over her chest and shifting her weight onto one hip. "James!" she shouted, her voice high and piercing. "Leave the girl alone for five minutes and come here! The new one is awake!"

After a moment, the RV door banged open. Edward couldn't see inside from this angle, but he distinctly heard the sound of a girl crying.

"Hush, you!" a male voice snapped. Edward remembered this voice, too. It was the voice of gunmetal, the cold grey masculine voice. Its owner appeared, stooping through the doorway and leaping with catlike grace to the ground.

He was a lithe man around the redhead's age, and he had blond hair pulled back in a trashy ponytail. His brown eyes were surprisingly soft - like the eyes of the pincushion guy from the horror movies, Edward thought. Deceptive. Everything else belied those soft eyes. The way he moved like a predator, each subtle flick of wrist or turn of head. He strode purposefully to the cage, and the hard set of his jaw made Edward tense. He was not afraid - he didn't know how to be afraid. Not of a human, which this man certainly was. He wore wounds matching the woman's. Clearly Edward had managed a few good thrashes before he succumbed. Though how these two had captured him - captured, and now held him - he did not know. He was a vampire. This just wasn't possible.

"Well, so you're awake," the man said. "Let's observe the niceties, shall we?" He grinned, his smile sarcastic and unkind. "James and Victoria. No last names necessary. We run the Midnight Carnival, of which you are now the latest attraction."

Edward growled low in his throat. The man did not smell nearly as appetizing as the woman, but he'd gladly drain them both dry despite his resolve to only hunt animals. These two _were_ animals, in his mind. He could see it in their eyes, and he heard it in the sobbing cries of the girl he had yet to see. Surely no one would miss them?

"No how-do-you-do?" James sighed and shook his head. "Pity. I had hoped we'd be able to be civil, at least."

"How civil is it," Edward managed to bite out between clenched teeth, "to ambush someone and lock him in a cage?"

James shrugged the argument off. "All part of our line of work. Don't pretend you haven't done worse, vampire."

The last word was nearly spat at Edward, and he glared back. How these two knew what he was, he didn't know. It wasn't like he actually had fangs or anything, after all.

"Don't look so surprised," Victoria said coolly. "We know the signs. We knew what you were the first time we laid eyes on you."

"Here's how this works," James said, rubbing his hands together. "Each day we welcome visitors to the carnival. Tours start every hour on the hour, from one in the afternoon until eight at night. We spend five days at each location, then move on. At midnight on the last day we have a very...special...tour."

"The simpletons we cater to want an experience that's more than what they see on reality TV," Victoria said. "So we give it to them."

"We're going to keep you unfed for a few more days," James continued. "Just until you break. Once we're sure you'll cooperate, you can drink a little. The faster you learn to give in, the faster you get fed. You can show us your willingness by hamming it up for the crowd. Hiss or growl, show them your fangs - whatever it is you people do."

"We don't have fangs," Edward said, his voice deadly and quiet.

"Pity. Would you be averse to wearing some fake ones?"

Edward growled again.

"It was only a suggestion. It's a rare man taken for what he truly is. Vampire you may be, but we'll have to figure a way to prove it to our crowds," James said.

Victoria snickered. "You could give him the girl. _That_ would be a show, all right."

The bored smile faded from James' face and he grabbed her arm. "That girl," he bit out, "is mine! Got it? Mine!"

"Don't get grabby." She shoved him away. "Not in front of our new pet, anyway."

Late afternoon sun filtered through the trees ringing their clearing. It was warm and gold, and the smell of baking grass was rich and sweet. Edward hated it. He longed for the drip of endless rain on fir trees, for mud and rocks and misting breath from humans and forest creatures alike. At least he was shadowed in his cage, so no telltale glints of sun could catch him. There was no telling what these two would do if they saw him in the light.

They turned away from him. "Customers come tomorrow," James called back. "Be on your best behavior, vampire. Or else."

He watched through narrow eyes as they returned to the RV and closed the door behind them. Though muffled by metal and fiberglass, he distinctly heard the sound of a resounding slap on soft human skin. The unseen girl, who had quieted sometime during his confrontation with James and Victoria, whimpered again.

"Shut up, cunt!" James yelled, and Edward flinched as he heard the sound of beating, of slaps and kicks encountering flesh. After a while she did stop crying, though he doubted it was voluntary. Whether her voice had failed or she had passed out, though, he didn't know and wouldn't want to guess. Poor child. He had no idea how old she was, but no matter the answer, she didn't deserve this sort of treatment. No one did. He bet she'd far rather be locked in a cage out here than subjected to whatever torture her captors devised in that RV.

Trying to take his mind off her predicament, Edward decided to peer into the other cages. It was hard with the slant of the light, and he wasn't at all sure what he saw. Animals of some sort, but he couldn't tell what kind. The thirst had begun to significantly weaken and impair him, and he decided it must be interfering with his eyesight, too.

But Edward could see clearly into the cage directly across the small circle from him, and what he saw raised the hair on the back of his neck.

It was a werewolf. Not a wolf, but a real werewolf. It was the size of a bear, its claws longer than Edward's fingers and so sharp that they had raked long gouges in the wooden floor of its cage. It barely had room to move around, and its eyes were dangerously dark and glinting. They reflected no light, which was one of the ways Edward could tell it was a true werewolf and not just some poor animal these sick humans had fed steroids or something.

The wolf saw him, and knew him. Edward reached out with his mind and found...nothing. Absolutely nothing. He frowned and tried again. Nothing from the RV or the animals in the other cages, either.

Had he merely imagined his ability to read minds, Edward wondered? But, no. It was clear in his memory. He was Edward Cullen, son of Carlisle and Esme Cullen, brother to Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper. He had been turned into a vampire in 1918, and had therefore lived undead nearly a century.

And he could read minds. He knew it as surely as he knew his own name and the fact that he and his family abstained from drinking human blood. It was a part of himself, just as his sight or hearing would be. If he were blind, he would not imagine sight during a pain-fueled hallucination. Just so, he had not imagined his clairvoyance.

So what was going on?

And more importantly, how the hell was he going to get out of here?

"...hello?"

The voice was timid, small, and Edward whirled around to find that night had fallen while he mused, and the biggest, sweetest eyes he'd ever seen were looking straight at him.

She was on the other side of his barred wagon, between him and the forest, and she glanced cautiously at the RV before turning her eyes back to him. They were rimmed in lovely, thick lashes, but full of anxiety as they watched him.

"Are you all right?" she asked, her voice still hesitant.

Edward let out a breath. She was barely peeping over the lower edge of his cage and he could see very little except her eyes and the sweeping curve of her pale forehead. Her dark hair shone softly in wan glimmers of moonlight.

"I should be asking you that question," he breathed. "Are you the voice I remember? The one asking them to stop?"

A rosy blush lit her skin and she ducked even further under his cage.

"Please don't hide," Edward said. He didn't really know how to be soothing, only frightening, but he nonetheless tried. "No one's ever done anything like that for me before. Thank you."

She straightened a little, and more of her face appeared. She had lovely cheekbones, but one was marred by a terrible dark bruise. "I couldn't let them anymore," she whispered.

Edward considered her. She was a funny little thing - so strange, caring about the welfare of a vampire. "Do you know what I am, little one?" he asked her curiously.

She finally moved, grasping the bars of his cage in her hand and rising to her feet. He could see now that she'd been kneeling next to his cage. The fact that she could touch the bars without pain did not entirely surprise him.

Edward sat as close as he dared without touching the dreaded bars. Even like this, he was still quite a bit taller than she was. Her breastbone was floor-height to his cage. He tried not to think of her delectable fingers curled around the bars and only of the pain those bars inflicted.

She nodded shyly, answering his question, and tucked her lower lip between her teeth. It was split and swollen, and Edward almost growled. She smelled better than either of the two animals currently snoring in the RV, and he almost couldn't stand it. He was so thirsty... He tried to swallow unobtrusively, but clearly the action did not go unnoticed. The girl widened her pretty eyes and bit a little harder on her lip, but her heart did not start beating any faster as she slowly unclasped her fingers from one bar and extended her skinny arm into his cage.

Edward leaped away from the offered limb, hissing. "Are you insane?" he whisper-yelled. "I'd drain you dry in an instant!"

She swallowed and pulled her arm back, holding it against her chest and trembling a little. "But you're thirsty," she whispered. "Does it hurt?"

"Like hellfire," Edward bit out through his teeth. "But I won't kill you to stop it."

She let out a breath. "You're a strange sort of vampire."

Edward laughed humorlessly. "I know. Believe me, I know."

She was glancing around the shadowy, silent clearing, her lip still between her teeth. Edward had the sudden, strong desire to lick it. Not bite, just lick. Where had that come from, he wondered? He'd never thought anything like that before.

Now she moved carefully and quietly to the cage next to him, and she withdrew a dirty metal feeding bowl. Scrabbling on the ground, she found a sharp rock.

Edward didn't have to read her mind to know where this was going. He opened his mouth to stop her, but it was too late.

She exposed the soft white underside of her arm and tore a jagged slice through the perfect ivory skin. Blood poured swiftly from her flesh, dripping with a dull, metallic sound into the food bowl.

"Are you crazy?" Edward groaned, curling into a ball in the middle of his cage. It was all he could do not to throw himself at the bars when the first smell of hot, fresh blood hit his nostrils. He quivered with the exertion of keeping himself still until he heard the gentle clink of the bowl being set near his head.

Even before her hand could withdraw, the dirty bowl was in his hands and he was sucking, swallowing, helpless in the throes of dire thirst. He drank all there was, licking the bowl over and over again until he was pretty sure not even a molecule remained. Edward still wasn't sated, but at least the worst of the fire was gone for now. He didn't think a meal had ever tasted so sweet, so mouthwatering.

But the girl. He raised his head, suddenly mortified that she had seen him lose control at the sight and scent of blood.

She had thankfully wrapped her arm in a piece of old cloth and was applying pressure to stop the bleeding. Through suddenly keener eyesight, Edward was able to study her more fully.

She was small compared to James and Victoria, though they were neither bodybuilders nor obese. He didn't think she was smaller than his tiny sister Alice, but he'd have to see them side by side to know for sure. Her long dark hair looked softer than silk, and it fell enticingly over her shoulders as she bent her head, watching her arm.

She was too thin, too wan, to safely feed him like that, and Edward bit back irritation at both of them. Why on Earth had this young girl first intervened to stop his torture and then willingly fed him blood she could not spare? It made no sense at all.

"You can have the rag when I'm done," she said quietly, still looking at her arm and not at him. "I don't know if it'll do any good, but you're welcome to it. I'm sorry I couldn't give you more. I stopped when I started feeling dizzy. Fainting wouldn't do either of us any good, I thought."

"Foolish girl," Edward said, and to his surprise the words came out soft, not harsh. "Why are you doing this?"

She looked up at him, surprise written across her beautiful face. "You're a person, aren't you? They don't have any right to keep you chained in there like a dog."

From the other side of the circle, the werewolf growled low and menacing.

The girl shivered when she heard that noise, and she pressed closer to Edward's cage.

"I'm not human," he tried to argue. The ridiculousness of the situation wasn't lost on him - this girl was huddling closer to a _vampire_ for protection. She clearly had absolutely no self-preservation instinct at all.

"I know that," she said quietly. "Does that mean you deserve torture?"

"Some people would say so."

"Well, some people are wrong."

Edward opened his mouth to argue, but he had no words. She seemed like such a shy little thing, but her last statement was firmly sincere. She really believed it.

"I think the bleeding's stopped." She pulled the rag away from her skin, grimacing, and wiped most of the drying blood off her arm. "Do you want it?" she asked, holding the sodden piece of fabric toward him.

"I apparently have no pride at the moment," Edward said, sighing as he took the rag. He suspected it had not been anywhere near clean when the girl placed it on her skin, but it wasn't like he could catch a disease from it or anything. Resigned, he stuffed a corner of rag in his mouth and started sucking. Her blood tasted nearly as good even now, drying and tainted by the dirty fabric. He didn't think it was just his intense thirst saying that, either. She smelled amazing. Absolutely delectable. He knew for a fact that, were the bars not standing between them, he would immediately tackle her to the ground and latch his teeth around the pulsing artery in her throat, drinking her dry. After that he'd lick and lick the wound on her arm until there was no trace of blood left. Then he'd...

No, he thought furiously. Stop. She's saved you twice now. He sucked and swallowed the mix of blood and venom until that section of rag was fully clean, then moved on to a new mouthful.

"You really must be thirsty," the girl said faintly. "I can try to give you a little more..."

"No!" Edward said, ripping the cloth from his mouth and snapping his eyes to hers. "You shouldn't have even given me this much. You're too pale, too thin." He narrowed his eyes. "When did you eat last?"

She shrugged noncommittally. "I keep hydrated. Isn't that all that matters, for blood?"

"No, it's not. Some of your body's vital nutrients are stored in your blood. In your state, it's dangerous to deplete those natural stores."

"You sure know a lot," she murmured, picking up a water bottle and taking a swallow, then dousing her arm. Mosquitoes had come out to dance and buzz in the warm night, and they were trying to congregate on and around her. She scowled and swatted at them with her good arm.

"Come closer to me," Edward said against his better judgment. "Even insects know better than to mess with a vampire."

She willingly stepped right up next to the cage, twining her fingers around a bar again. The mosquitoes buzzed sullenly, but did not come near either of them. "So you're saying James and Victoria are dumber than mosquitoes?"

"Maybe," Edward said tightly. "Maybe not. It all depends."

"On?"

He sighed and put the rag back in his mouth, unable to help himself with the smell of blood so near. "They managed to make a cage I can't get out of," he mumbled around the cloth.

"It's fire," Bella said quietly. "I don't know how they did it, but there's an electrical current running through the core of each bar that replicates real fire. Will knowing it's replicated help you break free?"

"No," Edward said, knowing the truth without touching the bars again. "That pain was too real to be psychosomatic."

"What's - "

"Imaginary."

"Oh."

She did not say anything else, and Edward wondered if he had hurt her feelings by cutting her off so abruptly. "I went to medical school," he offered, trying to keep his voice gentle. He really wasn't used to talking with anyone outside his family, especially without the use of his sixth sense. Not knowing what this girl was thinking really was difficult for him.

"But...why?"

"Why would a vampire go to medical school?" Edward leaned back, the rag still in his mouth. "It's...complicated. My family, we consider ourselves vegetarians. Under normal circumstances, we don't drink human blood."

"Why not?"

"Because we think it's wrong. Because we want to live normal lives - as normal as we possibly can."

"And go to medical school?"

"Some of us." Edward felt the hint of a smile touch one corner of his mouth. He hadn't forgotten their dire situation, but he was actually enjoying talking to this girl. She was so quiet and unprepossessing, and he really didn't mind her questions. She already knew what he was, so it wasn't like he was actually breaking any of his laws, anyway. "What about you?" he asked curiously. "Why are you here?"

She hesitated before answering, and her bottom lip went between her teeth again. It was an adorable habit that he was quickly realizing happened whenever she was nervous. "James is my uncle."

"What?" Edward jumped to his feet, stopping only just in time before he rammed himself into the bars again. "That...that bag of shit is your _uncle_?"

The girl had tensed when he moved so quickly, but she had not run away. She nodded, her face full of weariness, and leaned the side of her head against the bars, looking away into the forest. "My mom left when I was little, and when my dad died a few years ago no one could find her. So I got stuck with Uncle James."

"But he...he..." Edward was speechless. He hadn't forgotten what James had said to her during his pain-filled haze, and he knew precisely what the monster had meant.

The girl shrugged listlessly. "It's not all that unusual, you know. Most abused people are hurt by someone they know, not some random stranger."

"That doesn't make it any better," Edward snarled, glaring at the RV. How could the man do that to his niece? His _niece_? "How old are you, child?"

She shifted against the bars, her beautiful dark eyes coming to rest on him. "I'm not a child," she said quietly, without malice. "My name is Bella, and I'm older than I look."

"How old?" he pressed.

"Seventeen." She hesitated. "Almost. In just over a year I'll be able to get out of here legally and be on my own."

"Be serious, Bella," Edward said, tasting her name in his mouth for the first time. It was lovely - small and lilting and sweet. It fit her perfectly. "You'll be dead before that happens."

She lowered her head. "I can dream," she said defensively.

Edward exhaled and tugged a hand through his hair in frustration. "What do you do here, Bella?" He had to change the subject quickly. Young girls should dream about many things, but freedom from pain wasn't one of them. That should go without saying.

She shrugged. "Whatever James wants. Victoria, too, but James gets the final word. Mostly I clean the cages, and take care of his...needs." A shudder went through her and Edward felt rage again.

"Isn't that Victoria's job?" he demanded. "It looked like they were..." He trailed off, not finding a delicate way to put it. He wasn't even sure there _was_ a delicate way to put it.

"They are," Bella confirmed, a pink blush gracing her cheeks. It was adorable, and Edward melted. That someone used so abominably could still blush discussing relationship status floored him. "But she doesn't - I mean, she won't put up with some of the things he likes to, um, do, and..." She trailed off and gestured a little helplessly, her cheeks getting pinker and the glassy sheen of tears appearing in her eyes.

And they were back again at the same subject Edward wanted desperately to get away from. He knocked his head against the heel of one hand, telling himself he was a stupid, unfeeling cad for making her talk about things that obviously upset her.

She sniffed, a soft, quiet sound.

Oh, shit. Edward opened his eyes and whirled toward where she stood, the side of her head still pressed against the bars of his cage.

"Please don't cry," he murmured, almost begging. He didn't know how to deal with a crying girl. Very carefully, he slid his hand between two of the murderously painful bars. Hoping she wasn't a good conductor for whatever electrical current flowed through them, Edward hesitantly touched his finger to the wetness on her cheek.

She jumped a little and he jerked his hand away, pulling it back inside his cage. Her eyes were wide and wondering.

"Did you feel that?" she asked, her voice a whispering breath.

Edward had. It was like electricity, but nothing like the painful bite of the bars. Instead it was...lovely. Warmth buzzed along his nerves, tickling pleasantly, feathering through his body. He could only stare.

"I wonder if it would do it again," she murmured to herself as much as to him, and she slowly reached her hand into his cage.

A loud, snarling growl from across the circle of cages made both Edward and Bella jerk. The werewolf was pacing in his too-small cage, snarling and snapping, making as if to lunge toward them. It barked and yipped, not howling but making enough of a racket that Edward heard a muttered curse from inside the RV.

"They'll find me!" Bella whimpered. "They'll know I disobeyed!"

"Go," Edward urged. "Go on - go!"

She did, crawling under the cage next to him and curling up in a small ragged little ball.

An instant later a shirtless James came stomping out of the RV. "What the hell is going on out here?" he demanded, training a flashlight first on the werewolf, then on Edward.

"I insulted it," Edward said nonchalantly, hiding Bella's blood-soaked rag in his fist.

"Why the hell would anyone insult a werewolf, even a vampire stupid enough to get caught in a trap?"

"We're nocturnal," Edward said dryly. "What else are we supposed to do all night? Knit doilies?"

James muttered a curse. "Just keep it the fuck down! Got it? The more you piss me off, the less willing I am to rob a blood bank for you."

Edward didn't bother to extoll the merits of animal blood. Likely the man wouldn't remember in the morning anyway. He waited until he heard the sound of two humans snoring before he peered into the shadows under the next cage. "Bella?" he called softly.

Rustling noises, and then she appeared. She sighed in relief as she dusted off her knees. "I was afraid he'd make me go in there with him," she said, shuddering a little.

Edward frowned. "Where do you sleep?" She was human; she had to sleep. But if she didn't sleep in the RV with James and Victoria, then where?

"Here." She pulled a tattered blanket out from under the cage.

"Good god, you can't be serious! Not like that!"

Bella shrugged. Her bottom lip went between her teeth again and she shifted nervously. "It's not cold," she offered.

"That's because it's August in..." Edward paused. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Missouri."

Edward made a face.

Bella smiled. "I know, but places like this have lots of small towns. It's the small towns and rural routes James and Victoria need. They never go close to any real cities. People might start asking questions best left unasked."

"Like how they came across a real werewolf?"

Bella shuddered and sidled closer to his cage. "I don't want to talk about that," she said quietly. On the other side of the circle, the wolf rumbled angrily.

"All right," Edward agreed. He wouldn't dream of asking Bella to do something that hurt. Not after she'd done so much for him. Not now that he was getting to know her. If she didn't want to talk about the wolf, he wouldn't make her. "But, little one, there are rattlesnakes around here. Poisonous spiders, too. It's not safe to be out on the ground like that. Plus, you'll get cold no matter how warm the night is."

She shrugged noncommittally, and Edward sighed. "Come here," he said finally. "Come sleep under me, at least. I can't protect you from the cold, but I keep all the creepy crawlies away."

"You work on spiders, too? Not just mosquitoes?" She sounded tired, and Edward thought the blood loss might be catching up with her. She was just too small and malnourished to give blood like that. They'd have to find another way to feed him until he could figure a way out. There was no way he was letting her do that ever again, no matter how wonderful she tasted.

And when he broke out of here, he vowed, he was taking Bella with him. Where they would go, he didn't know, but he wasn't leaving her here a moment longer than necessary.

* * *

The following afternoon found Edward still in his cage, his mind and body fighting another wave of thirst as he caught the scent of a small group of people waiting for a tour around the Midnight Carnival. He sucked on the bloodied rag whenever James and Victoria were otherwise occupied, though nearly all of the blood had been ingested by now. It still smelled like Bella, and the scent of it calmed him marginally...

...but only marginally. When morning broke, Victoria had stumbled out of the RV to feed the various occupants of the cages - all excepting Edward, of course. She'd grabbed Bella by the hair and dragged her from under Edward's cage, and he'd had to bite back furious words as the bigger, older woman shoved and kicked Bella toward the RV, saying James wanted her. He'd tried to close his ears to the sounds that emanated from that awful place after Bella shut the door, but his vampire ears were excellent and he unfortunately had absolutely no doubts about what had happened.

And he hadn't seen her since. That was the most disturbing part to him, and Edward paced his small prison like the caged beast he was, frightened and furious at the same time. He'd pried up a section of wood flooring, only to find metal underneath that made him writhe in pain when he touched it. Clearly the whole cage was made of this evil material, and he could touch none of it. Prying at the bars with bits of wood didn't work, either. He might be strong, but the wood wasn't.

Now Edward watched, half outraged and half curious, as the proprietors of the Midnight Carnival gathered their little flock of big-eyed country folk and started leading them around the sad circle of cages.

Something rustled behind him, and Edward turned to see Bella standing once again between his cage and the forest. The bruise on her cheek looked even worse in the daylight, and Edward growled a little when he saw it. She cocked her head to the side as if wondering what he was thinking, but said nothing.

"Are you all right?" he asked cautiously.

She shrugged. "I really don't want to talk about it."

Well, then he wouldn't push. But he wouldn't forget, either. Not something like this. James would pay dearly, both for locking Edward up in a cage like an animal and for daring to lay a hand on Bella. No one deserved to be so brutally used, but she was so beautiful both inside and out. And so frightfully young, too.

She cleared her throat, looking anxious again. "Look into the cages," she urged. "Tell me what you see."

Edward would do just about anything to make her happy after that horrific morning. He obediently turned his head, squinting and scowling at the first cage around which the grubby group was clustered.

* "Here's the dragon," Victoria told the sightseers, her voice just a touch too mocking to be pleasant. "Breathes fire now and then - usually at people who poke it, little boy. Its inside is an inferno, but its skin is so cold it burns." *

Edward peered past the huddle of nervous, giggling humans into the cage. He snorted. "What's she doing with a pet iguana sitting in a cage?"

True enough, a green lizard basked happily enough in its sunny spot, though Edward wondered how they kept it alive in the winter. Summer in Missouri might well keep the tropical lizard content enough, but soon the weather would be turning.

"You don't see the illusion at all, do you?"

"Is that what it is?" Edward shook his head. "I should have guessed. A nickel's worth of talent and a handful of salesmanship won't fool vampire eyes." He paused, gazing at the girl. "Or yours."

She cracked a wan smile with very little warmth to it. "No," she agreed, "I was never able to see the illusions. Often I wish I could. It would make this life a little easier, I think."

"No, little one," Edward said, wanting to be more forceful but not wanting her to be caught talking with him. She had not specifically said she was forbidden to speak with him, but Edward could guess James wouldn't like it. Certainly he would be furious if he caught the cut on her arm and put two and two together. "It won't make things easier to be like the rest of them." He gestured with his chin toward the group moving on to the next cage. "Be thankful for the gift of true sight, and don't give up."

She was silent for a time, and Edward heard James take up the narration, moving the group along to the next cage. * "Gatekeeper of the underworld. Three heads and a healthy coat of vipers, as you can see. Last seen aboveground in the time of Hercules, who dragged him up under one arm. But we lured him to light again with promises of a better life. Cerberus. Look at those six cheated red eyes. You may look into them again one day." *

"Who's the illusionist?" Edward asked, grimacing at the sight of the tired old dog lying quietly in the cage - just a normal dog, with one head and no coat of vipers.

"Victoria." Bella's eyes were on the people staring into the cage, but she did not really look like she wanted to join them. She wanted something, that was clear enough, but Edward couldn't figure out what. Maybe it was something as simple as the way one mother clasped her little boy's hand. There was no way to know without asking, and Edward was about to do so when Bella spoke again.

* "She cannot truly make things, nor truly change them. Her shabby skill lies in disguise. She can't turn cream into butter, but she can give a lamb the semblance of a lion, to eyes that want to see a lion there. Eyes that would take a real dragon for a lizard, if they ever saw one. Or a vampire for a human being." *

"Do I really look so strange?" Edward asked softly.

"Not to most. But I think, even if we hadn't met this way, that I would know...something. Maybe not what to call you. Not right away. But that you were not human, certainly."

"The eyes?"

"Your eyes are lovely. I liked the color better before you fed, though. I'm sorry if that upsets you."

Edward laughed humorlessly. "Don't apologize, little one. I can't see myself, but I like the other color better, too. Our eyes are gold when we hunt animals and red when we hunt humans. Believe me, I am not proud that I could not resist your blood."

"I gave it willingly," Bella said, and her hand started forward as if to touch him, but she pulled it back against her own body before it could pass through the bars.

"Doesn't matter. I was raised to have better willpower."

"But you were so thirsty. I could see it in your face."

"And I am beyond grateful for your help," Edward assured her. "But it doesn't change the fact that I strayed from my accustomed diet."

A low growl ripped across the circle of cages, and Bella flinched. She ducked away, toward the RV, and Edward knew two very important things from her little cringing steps. One, she had been hurt this morning - badly enough that she still felt it. Two, she was afraid of this werewolf. Not just the species in general, though it was certainly in her best interest to fear them. But this particular wolf; something had happened to make her afraid of him.

"The werewolf," James was telling the group as the wolf bared his sharp teeth and growled hatefully at the cowering crowd. "Captured under...interesting circumstances, which will be revealed to men over eighteen only, at our special midnight show in a few days. If interested, ask for more information on your way out. Taller than a grizzly bear if he stood on his hind legs. Just look at the damage his claws have done!"

"I thought werewolves only changed during the full moon," someone muttered.

"And where would we be, holding a poor fellow captive who was only good for business three nights out of a month?" Victoria laughed. "No, that part's the fairy tale. He controls the transformation at will, though we've only once seen his human form. He's too angry with us to show himself without the fluff. Huh, Fluffy?" she said, egging on the wolf. He snapped at her, lunging toward the bars. Edward didn't bother to hide a smile as the crowd darted away from the strings of sticky saliva that fell from his mouth. Werewolf slobber wouldn't hurt anyone. What came from _his_ mouth, however...

In all the rest of the carnival, the cages held sad, tired animals that must have had illusions on them, though Edward could not see them. Only he and the werewolf were real. He supposed that ought to make him feel some sort of kinship with the beast, but the way it frightened Bella made him unable. Her fear placed the wolf squarely in James' camp, for Edward.

"See here," James said suddenly, breaking through Edward's musings. "Looks like nothing more than a lovely young man, doesn't he? But look at those eyes and tell me you don't cringe a little. Can you guess what he is?"

Nobody said a word.

"If anybody has a cut or scrape, I advise you step away. We have him secure for now, but he's a wily, cunning creature. Dracula's cousin, known around the world by many names. The Cold One. The Scourge of the Ganges. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, you are looking at the backside of death, the misstep God never intended. Vampire."

Edward thought this was probably the moment where he should hiss or growl, show his nonexistent fangs or something. So he purposefully did nothing - just sat quietly on the floor of his cage, staring down at his hands.

The crowd shifted restlessly, and he heard several murmurs questioning James' words. But the blond man did not look alarmed. He calmly produced a pocket knife, flipped it open, and sliced his finger.

"Hungry?" he asked, shoving his hand toward the bars.

Edward swallowed back venom pooling in his throat and refused to look at the offer of blood. He could smell it, and he was still ravenously hungry. Bella's blood had tasted exquisite, but after the torture James and Victoria put him through he needed to glut himself on blood to really sate the thirst. The half pint or so she'd offered had not been near enough to stop the burn in his throat. But he forced himself to remain still, and raised limpid eyes to James' face for a moment before dropping his head once more.

It was a disappointing ending to the tour, and James was furious. As soon as the crowds slipped away, he grabbed Victoria by the arm. "Did you feed him?" he demanded.

"Of course not," she said, pulling free and sneering slightly at him. "You know perfectly well who it was. I told you to just give her to him to begin with."

James cursed and stalked into the RV with a swift, purposeful stride. Edward dropped his head further into his hands and tried to drown out the sounds from inside the vehicle. This beating was truly his fault. He had not played along with James' scheme, and now Bella's delicate body was paying the price.

"Aw, does the monster feel sorry for the pretty girl who fed him?" Victoria said, making baby faces at him through the cage. "How sweet. You know, if it were up to me you could drain her dry this minute. She's been nothing but a hassle since James acquired her. I didn't really want to share my man, but he won't give her up. And I'll admit that she's fun to play with. But I'd still give her to you in a heartbeat. Watching you suck her blood would be just as amusing as watching James suck her nipples."

The offhand way she spoke of violating Bella filled Edward with rage again, and he lunged at the bars, unable to stop himself. His body connected, and they creaked alarmingly. But he was in no condition to follow up the attack and he lay prone on the floor of his cage, biting back groans of pain.

"Not cold iron," she said, "the stories aren't true. It's fire that's your nemesis. Intriguing. Very intriguing." She regarded him for another long moment before shaking her head a little and tossing a cruel smile his way. "Farewell, monster. I'm off to join the fun." And she disappeared into the RV, slamming the door behind her.

Edward lowered his head to his hands again, convinced the taunting was over. But not two minutes later the RV door swung wide and Bella fell to the ground, shoved by James. He exited behind her, pulled her up by the hair, and dragged her into the middle of the circle of cages.

"Cunt!" he hissed, throwing her on the ground. She was whimpering, making small noises in her throat and trying to slide away from him, but he forced her to her back and straddled her legs, holding her still. "Vic - get her hands!" he ordered, and Victoria moved quickly, grabbing Bella's hands and stretching them up above her head. She knelt on the girl's palms, her sharp knees digging, compressing the skin and delicate carpal bones.

"This is what happens when you misbehave," she said, tisking and shaking her head mockingly as Bella cried.

James shoved the girl's loose shirt up, exposing her torso. She wore no bra, and her small breasts were already bruised from earlier rough treatment. He unbuttoned her ragged jeans and yanked them from her body, followed by the thin scrap of her underwear. Only when she was bare-skinned, save for the cotton shirt wedged under her chin, did James turn his head and acknowledge Edward.

"See that?" he said, tracing the jagged, red line of Bella's self-inflicted wound with a hard, unclean hand. "She fed you, didn't she? Didn't she?" he repeated, grasping her face in his hand. She didn't answer, and James slapped her already bruised cheek hard. "Think she's pretty, do you? Think she's sweet? Well, as double punishment, you can watch as she gets hers."

Bella whimpered again and Edward couldn't hold back the growl that erupted from his throat. "Stay away from her," he seethed. "Don't touch her!"

James and Victoria both laughed, and Victoria leaned over Bella's immobile arms to tweak one raw, red nipple. "What are you going to do to stop us, vampire boy?" she mocked. "Break your cage? Come to her rescue? I'd like to see you try."

Bella's entire torso was heaving with frantic, terrified breaths, and she refused to turn her head to look at him. Edward rammed his body against the bars, knowing it was useless but unable to help himself. Rage consumed him, and he saw red. He howled in pain as the first touch of the fiery bars bled through him, but he couldn't drown the sound of Bella's cries or James' laughter from his ears. The blond man had found a stick in the grass, and he stood over her prone form, Victoria still kneeling on her outstretched palms.

"Linguistics is a fascinating science," James said, toying with the stick in his hand. "Do you know where the phrase 'rule of thumb' comes from? Back in the old days when men were men and women behaved themselves, common law stated that a man was permitted to beat the females in his family provided he never used a switch wider than his thumb." He held the stick up, measuring it against his digits. "Seems legal enough to me, doesn't it?" And with that, he brought the stick down hard against Bella's unprotected flesh.

The thud was sickening, and Edward didn't know how much longer he could listen to this without going mad. Bella was crying in earnest now as James hit her again and again. He smelled the moment her sweet blood began to flow, and he struggled against the twin desires to help her and drink her dry. He was capable of neither at the moment, though he rushed the bars again without being able to stop himself. The cage groaned but held, and he crumpled to his knees on the hard wooden floor. He didn't want to watch, but forced himself to anyway. Something in him needed to know exactly what that monster did to her, for the purpose of revenge.

The rough, dry bark on the stick cut deeply into her skin, trickles of blood running into the dry grass. James hit everywhere - her breasts, her ribs, the soft concavity of her stomach. He beat her thin thighs, then wedged her legs apart, standing between them, and brought the stick down on the most tender, delicate part of her body. She was shaking and sobbing, trying to twist away, but she was weak from malnourishment and she could not get her hands away from Victoria.

"Fucking whore," James panted, pausing to wipe sweat from his face. He pressed the stick between her legs, hard up against her body. "I'll teach you not to disobey! How would you like me to fuck you with this, huh? With this long, sharp, knobby branch?" He rubbed the stick up and down, making her screech and yell.

"No, please!" she begged, her voice nearly gone. Edward could hear how rough and painful her throat must feel, though that was probably the least of her worries. "Please!" she pleaded, twisting her body in odd positions, trying to get away from the foreign object placed so unnaturally close to her entrance.

James finally dropped the stick, but he didn't stop. He knelt between her spread legs and unzipped his pants. "Bet you wish you were me right now, don't you, vampire?" he said, chuckling. Victoria put her hands on the sides of Bella's head, forcing her agonized face to turn toward Edward. He growled and leaped for the bars again as James thrust forward, forcing himself inside the girl's battered body. James grunted, she screamed, and it all swirled into a haze of bloody rage in Edward's head as he fought through the pain, trying desperately to reach Bella, to make this madness stop.

But he was no match for the electrified metal, and he shuddered on the floor again, Bella's screams ringing in his ears. He thought the only thing keeping him sane was the fact that he could not see into any minds except his own. The thought of being privy to her pain or the sick, twisted thoughts of her tormentors was beyond the pale. Edward panted, unable to work up the energy for another lunge at the bars. He slumped to the floor, defeated, wishing he could close his ears to the horrible scene before him.

"Yeah..." James grunted as he moved steadily within the girl, ignoring her tearful protests. "You wish you were me right now...unh...I know you do." He reached out and pinched one nipple between his fingers hard enough that Bella cried out, then leaned down and licked the fresh line of blood that welled from the spot he abused. "Mmmm..." he sighed, leering at the caged vampire. "Yeah, you wish you were right here instead of me. She's so sweet..." he grunted, moving faster and harder within her, slapping his body violently against hers with each thrust. "So young and tight...fuck, baby...yeah, you know what I like..."

The last words were clearly not meant for Edward. If he could retch and vomit he would, he thought, as he saw Victoria's hands clamp firmly around Bella's pale throat. The girl writhed and twisted, her body desperate for air, but Victoria was bigger and stronger, and there were two of them holding her down. James came messily, grunting and swearing, and only then did they release her. She coughed weakly and gasped for air but otherwise did not move as James stood and kicked at her bruised leg. His penis was coated in a thin, wet sheen of blood and semen.

"But you'll never get the chance, bloodsucker," the man said, his voice almost pleasant as he tucked himself away. "She's mine, and I choose to keep her. Such a pretty little thing." He glanced down at Bella's unmoving body and spat next to it. "Fun's over - get her inside before the next tour group starts arriving. And you, vampire, you'd best learn to behave yourself. Without your little blood bag here to feed you, you'll be singing a different tune soon."

Edward continued to growl, a low, dangerous note just below a human's normal register, as Victoria forced Bella to her feet and hauled her toward the hated RV. Fresh blood trickled down a pale, bruised leg, and Edward stopped breathing, closing his nose to the precious scent of it. His exertions had left him even thirstier than he had already been, and smelling the intoxicating sent of Bella's blood did not help.

James was chuckling as he went about checking the cages, making sure all his animals were secure. Edward vowed that he wouldn't be laughing long. Just as soon as he figured a way out of this cage, he was getting revenge.

* * *

Edward did not see Bella for four days, and each night that she did not take her place under his cage to sleep he grew that much more tense. Had this last brutal beating been the final straw? Was she lying in that RV, too sick or wounded to move? Or worse - had she died? He didn't know, and the questions were worse than any answers could be, he thought. Poor girl. He felt immeasurably guilty for being the cause of her suffering, even though he had not meant it at all. But what could he do now? How could he make it up to her?

He tried to set his mind to devising a way out of his cage, but his thirst intensified with each slow day that trickled by. James and Victoria loved watching him deteriorate, and it was getting to the point where Edward couldn't hide it anymore. His senses were dulling and his wits beginning to fray as his body dehydrated, hunger turning him into a wraith. He could not die from thirst, but he could feel the toll it took on him. Normally a few days without blood was utterly normal - he could easily go a week or more without even feeling thirsty. But after being tortured and then made to watch Bella's torture, throwing himself against the bars again and again, inflicting more damage on his already-hurt body, he needed a chance to drink deeply and replenish his reserves of energy. He had very little left.

Sometimes he fell into a kind of half-asleep stupor, unseeing, unhearing. All he knew was the tortured beat of the hot sun across a muggy sky, and the twin aches as his body yearned for two things. Blood. Bella. Bella. Blood. He needed nourishment, and he needed her to be okay just as badly.

Blood. Bella. Bella. Blood.

On the fourth night she came to him, after midnight, deep into the recesses of the darkest hours. The sound of the RV door opening roused Edward from his stupor, and he stared with rising hope as a small figure climbed carefully down and began its slow, limping progress toward his cage. Before it had gone three steps he knew for a fact that it was Bella, despite the awful state of his senses. He could smell her, and even after such a short time he knew that smell. It was lodged deep within himself, in a place where it could never be erased.

"Oh, little one," he managed to choke out as she neared him.

"Are you all right?" she asked carefully. "Did they do anything to you?"

"You're kidding, right?" He closed his nose to her mouthwatering scent as she limped closer. She reached out to steady herself with the bars of his cage, and he drew back, pain wracking his body as he did so. "Don't!" he snapped quickly, making her draw her hand back. "Don't get near me!"

"But..." Her voice quivered, and her bottom lip went between her teeth again. The gesture melted him, as always.

"Bella, please," he managed to say, laying himself down on the floor of his cell. "Don't get anywhere close enough for me to touch you. I'm not...safe...to be around right now."

"I can - "

"No," he said, though it pained his body to refuse her. He could only have one of the things he could not do without - only one. Blood, or Bella. He could not have both. And so he had to make a choice. "No, little one. It would take five of you, or more, to sate me now. Besides, after your ordeal, you haven't anything to spare. I thank you for your thoughtfulness, but please, keep your distance."

Her big dark eyes were swimming with tears, and Edward watched as the first few fell from her lashes and stained her cheeks. "We have to get you out of here," she whimpered.

"Believe me, that's my goal, too." Edward tried to relax his tense body, but the monster in him knew there was a beating human heart nearby and it wasn't giving up easily even with the knowledge that those damned bars stood between them. "I tried my hardest when they...when he..." Edward swallowed, unable to find a careful way to say it. "I tried," he finally finished lamely. "It didn't work. I can't break free."

Bella turned her head to look behind her, across the circle where the werewolf did not sleep. "James hides his keys below the werewolf cage at night," she whispered, shivering faintly. "I'm afraid to go over there, and he knows it."

"Who does - James, or the wolf?"

"Both." Her voice was soft, tight with fear.

"Why are you so afraid, little one?" Edward asked cautiously. He wished he could assure her that nothing bad would happen, but the wolf did not seem affected by the bars as Edward was. He was able to touch them with impunity; it seemed that something else held him captive. Not knowing what it was, Edward was unable to reassure her that the wolf posed no threat.

Bella was quiet for a long minute, her eyes downcast. She was far enough from his cage that the mosquitoes and other night bugs buzzed happily around her, but Edward was unwilling to lure her closer. He wasn't safe to be around right now, and he knew it.

Finally she spoke. "They used me as bait," she said quietly. "I didn't know until too late what was going on. They tied me to a tree in the middle of a forest and James...did things..." She wiped her hands across her face, but tears continued to fall. "I guess they suspected one was in the area, but they didn't tell me. I was n-naked, and James wiped my s-scent around in a clear trail. Told me later only two things could lure a werewolf - lust and blood. Victoria said if the first hadn't worked, they'd have tried the second."

Edward growled angrily. Her embarrassment and the way she spoke made it fairly clear what had happened, even with her evasive words. Her captors had tied her up naked, and James had forced her body to arousal, though her mind had clearly been unwilling. Then he'd used her natural lubrication to scent-mark the area.

An older, more mature werewolf would have been able to resist the trap. It might even have helped Bella - rescued her. But a young, volatile wolf would have been driven mad by the lure of an available, aroused woman, and that was clearly what had happened. Where James and Victoria got their information, Edward didn't know, but they had this much right at least. Young werewolves were quick to fury and lust, and rationality played no role in their lives whatsoever.

"Did he hurt you?" Edward asked quietly, both needing and fearing the answer.

Bella shuddered, but said nothing.

"Please, little one, I want to help you. You've helped me so much."

She took a deep breath. "At least he was in human form," she said. "When I saw him in wolf form, running for me, I thought he'd tear me to pieces." She shuddered again. "Even in human form he almost did. James actually took me to a hospital that time - the only time he's ever done that. He claimed it was a bear attack."

"And James and Victoria were waiting to spring some sort of trap?"

She nodded. "James says werewolves need momentum to fuel their strength. He shot him full of elephant tranquilizers, then shoved him in a cage almost too small for him to move. James says he can't get out." She made a small noise, not quite a whimper. "I don't know if I believe him. When I look at those eyes..."

"Oh, little one." Edward dropped his head. So much had happened to the poor girl, and he was desperate to get them out - get them _both_ out. But the situation looked near impossible.

She took another breath and sidled just a little bit closer to his cage. Edward hissed a low warning, and she stopped. "If I could do it," she murmured, biting her lip and looking not at all sure of herself, "if I could make myself go over there and get the keys...would it be safe?"

Edward hated to do it, but he shook his head. "I can't guarantee safety against a werewolf," he said.

"Not...not him," she said, swallowing audibly. "You." She hesitated, chewing on her lip still more. "If I was able to let you out...would it be safe?" Another tear found its way down her cheek. "I want to help you, but I don't want to die."

Edward stared at her for a long minute, memorizing her pale, scared face - her big watery eyes, and the gleam of moonlight on her soft hair. She was leaning to the side, putting most of her weight on one leg. Something hurt - she'd been favoring one leg all night. This girl had fed him her own blood, which she could not afford to share. She had been kind to him - treated him like a person and not an animal or a monster. She was brutally mistreated by her captors, and nobody in the world seemed to care for her.

Except him. Edward did. How it had happened he didn't know, but sometime during the four days he spent worrying about her, something had changed. She was no longer just the kind child who had fed him when he was hungry and kept him company when he was alone. She was Bella. _His_ Bella. And no matter how hungry he was, he could not hurt her. He just couldn't.

"You are safe from me, little one," he said quietly. "Come here."

She did, stepping up to his cage without fear. Her eyes were big and dark, and she watched as he slowly extended a hand. Without a moment's hesitation, she placed her hand in his. Slowly, giving her time to pull away if she wished, he lowered his head and raised their clasped hands. Her breath stopped as he brushed his lips across her knuckles in a soft kiss.

"I could not harm you," he murmured, releasing her hand and forcing the monster inside back down. "Your life is more precious to me than my own."

There was a glimmer of a tear in her eye, but it did not fall. "I'll try," she said.

"Don't do something you're not comfortable with." Worry suddenly filled Edward, and he glanced at the dark eyes of the werewolf that did not reflect any light. It was watching them closely.

"I want to try." Bella turned, limping slowly but resolutely toward the werewolf's cage. Edward felt his anxiety rise with each tortured step, and he wished desperately that their roles could be reversed, that he could be the one facing a feared foe rather than she.

She dropped to her knees to scrabble under the cage. The werewolf suddenly stood, his hackles rising and a low, deadly growl emanating from his lips. Bella froze for an instant but then continued her search, and a minute later Edward heard the small, distinct clink of metal. Success!

She slowly pulled herself out from under the cage, beaming. It was the first real smile Edward had ever seen on her lovely face, and he was so caught up in its beauty that he didn't notice until too late that she had put her hand on the wolf's cage to help lever her abused body to its feet.

In that one instant, all hell broke loose.

The werewolf snapped at her hand. Bella jerked it away and screamed as she fell back to her knees, the ring of keys falling from her hand. Curses erupted from the RV, and a light flicked on inside. Edward heard the awful sound of a rifle being readied, just before the door banged open and James burst into the clearing.

"You!" he yelled. "Pretty as you are, I've had it with your nonsense!" He cocked the gun, aiming at Bella's kneeling form.

She screamed again, throwing her hands up in front of her face in an instinctual motion though it would do no good against a rifle. Edward watched in horror as James' finger squeezed the trigger, but just at that instant Victoria pushed her way out of the RV. She jostled his shoulder and the shot went wide, missing Bella and instead hitting the werewolf.

An awful, furious howl rose from the wolf's mouth, and he lunged at the bars of his cage. Whether or not he would otherwise have been able to break free, Edward couldn't say. But his rage gave him an added boost, and he shattered the bars as he dove through them, his deadly snout open and aimed right at James.

The werewolf bowled Bella over in its hurry, and that movement seemed to knock her free of her fear. She grabbed the keys up from the ground and ran, limping, to Edward's cage.

"Hurry!" Edward urged as she fumbled with the keys, trying to find the correct one. "The wolf has tasted blood now, and he won't stop until he's killed whatever he can find!"

Bella whimpered, and on the third try the lock snapped open. She swung the door wide, and Edward leaped out of the hated cage.

Almost instantly the rush of others' thoughts came flying back to him. Something about the cage must have blocked it. He took in the sight in front of him in an instant. James was wrestling with the werewolf, but there was really no competition. He would be dead in under a minute. Victoria was cowering next to the RV. She would undoubtedly be next.

Edward rushed to the cage next to him and hesitantly touched the bars. As he'd suspected, only his cage was strangely electrified. This one was merely metal, and he broke the lock, swinging the door open.

"What are you doing?" Bella hissed, hurrying behind him. "Go - get out of here!"

"I have to give them a fair chance," Edward said, throwing open the next cage. "Trapped like this, they're sitting ducks."

She sobbed and dropped to her knees, and Edward grit his teeth, forcing himself to step away from her and free the rest of the caged creatures. Only then did he allow himself to glance back at the werewolf.

James' body was on the ground, and the werewolf's ruddy fur was dripping red with blood. The scent called to Edward's agonizing thirst, but even the monster within him knew better than to challenge a werewolf for its kill. As much as he had wanted to be the one to make James pay, he had more important things to think about now.

He scooped Bella up in his arms, trying to ignore the mouthwatering scent of her blood, and began slowly walking out of the circle of wagons. A female shriek caught their ears and Bella whimpered, hiding her head in his shoulder. He felt warm tears against his cold throat and wished he could comfort her, but now was not the time.

"Run," she begged. "Please, run!"

"No," Edward said, though his insides were begging him to do the same. "Never run from anything immortal. It attracts their attention. We will walk slowly until we are far enough away that he likely won't follow. _Then_ we run."

"Likely?"

"Hush. I promised you had nothing to fear, and I meant it. I will keep you safe, little one."

"But aren't you thirsty?"

He grit his teeth. "Please don't talk about it," he said. "Don't even think about it. Sing a song in your head, if you can, or recite the times table. Anything to keep your thoughts away from that."

There was one last agonized shriek from behind them, and a sick, satisfied animal howl. "And that."

Edward walked for what seemed like forever, while the dim light from the RV faded behind them and the dark forest closed in. Bella's weight was nothing in his arms, but he was having a great deal of difficulty ignoring the loud beat of her heart and the scent of blood so close - so bewitchingly close...

He shook his head and swallowed back venom. No. He'd promised, and he would not break that promise. He would not hurt her. Not now. Not ever.

Finally he deemed that they had walked far enough, and he paused. Carefully he set Bella on her feet. "We will run now," he said.

"I don't know if I - "

"Ssh. I know you're hurt." He brought her hand to his lips again, unable to help himself. Her skin was warm silk against his mouth. "I will carry you still, but it will be better if you ride on my back. Can you climb on that rock over there?"

She scrambled up on a knee-high rock, and Edward helped her drape herself across his back, her legs encircling his waist and her arms clasped around his shoulders. "Hold on tight," he urged. "Don't worry - you can't hurt me."

"Your skin is so cold," she murmured, her breath brushing warm against the back of his neck. It made delicious shivers run the length of his spine.

"I'm sorry for that, truly I am. I will get you somewhere warm as soon as I can," he promised, and with that, he set off, pushing his tired, hungry body to vampire speed, knowing the werewolf could easily overtake them if it chose to follow.

Thankfully, he caught no thoughts or sounds or scents that made him suspicious, and after a while he decided they were not being followed. Either the werewolf hadn't noticed them walk away, or it didn't care. Edward was grateful. He would gladly die protecting Bella from the wolf, but he didn't think he could best it. Not right now. Not in his condition.

Finally he dropped into a jog, then a walk. Bella's head nodded against his back, and he knew he had to get her somewhere safe soon. She needed rest and food and warmth, and likely medical care as well.

But before anything else, he needed to hunt. There was no way he'd be safe in civilization if he didn't.

"Bella?"

"Mm." She mumbled sleepily, nestling closer against him.

Edward chuckled, allowing a smile to play across his face. Poor girl was so tired she'd managed to doze on the back of a racing vampire. Silly, sweet, adorable girl. She was afraid of a werewolf's snarl - as she rightly should be - but she snuggled up against a ravenous vampire as if he were a giant teddy bear.

Slowly he knelt and helped Bella slide from his back. She watched him sleepily as he removed his shirt, then wrapped it around her as extra protection from the cold forest floor.

"I'm sorry I have to leave you for a while," he said, feeling the ache already even though she was still standing before him. "I need to hunt before we do anything else. The werewolf isn't following, and I think you'll be safe here."

She pressed her sleepy self closer to him. "Please don't leave me," she whispered, biting her lip again.

"Only while I hunt, little one. You think I would leave you willingly?" He raised a hand and touched her hair. It slid through his fingers like water. "I will be back as soon as I can. A few hours, no more."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He rubbed her back through their shirts. "Then we'll find you somewhere warm and safe to rest."

"Safe..." she said, rolling the word around in her mouth, testing the feel of it. "Sounds...nice."

"After everything you've been through, believe me, you deserve it. Now try to sleep a little. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Bella curled up in a patch of ferns and obediently closed her eyes. Edward hesitated for a moment, loath to leave her, though he knew it was necessary. He took one long last look at her beautiful, delicate features before darting deeper into the forest, following his nose.

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_A/N: This will be a two-shot, and the second half is already written! Thoughtful reviews means it posts faster!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Um...did I say two-shot? Okay, when I said that, I didn't realize how long the second chapter was. No way am I giving you that much at once! I had to make a choice to either be less verbose and cut it way back, or make this thing into a three-shot. Consider it a trilogy-type thingy? Three's supposed to be a lucky number, isn't it? Ah, well. _

_One more thing: This story is more fairy tale than my others. There's realism in ACAP (and Lullaby, too, when we get there) to reactions to abuse/rape/etc. This one's just going for a good ol' happy ending. The...err, anatomy lesson, so to speak, is correct enough, but Edward's exam and diagnosis are more or less crap from my head. _

_All standard disclaimers apply. No quoting from Beagle in this chapter. **Huge thanks to Hev99 for showing me the workaround for the posting bug!**_

* * *

**Midnight Carnival**

Three large deer and an adolescent black bear later, Edward paused beneath a tree. His stomach sloshed when he ran, but he still felt weak. It would take time to restore what had been lost. But for now he felt sated, and he turned back to where he had left Bella.

She was still there, sitting under a tree and shivering lightly. The night was muggy, but not as warm as it had been. Even in his long-sleeved shirt, she was probably cold sitting on the damp ground. Her face lit up when she saw him, and she tried to struggle to her feet.

"You came back," she said.

Edward caught her arms carefully and helped her stand. "Of course I came back." He touched her unbruised cheek and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I said I would."

She bit her lip as she gazed up at him, and the wistfulness in her dark eyes was too much. Edward stepped forward a little and slid his arms carefully around her, holding her waist gently. She was still shaking, and he couldn't tell if it was with cold or nerves. "You didn't have to."

"Little one, you've done so much for me. You're mine to take care of now, and I am going to do my best."

She nodded slightly, still unsure. Edward sighed and tightened his arms, pulling her against his chest. Bella did not resist, and she seemed to relax once they were more fully in contact. She turned her head and rested her cheek against his bare chest, one hand around his waist and the other resting on his arm. "I can hear your stomach gurgling," she murmured.

"It's happy and fed. Shall we make yours gurgle, too?" Edward rubbed his chin against her hair before sweeping her up in his arms again. She still smelled amazing, but he was much better able to control himself now that he was full.

"I can walk," Bella protested, but not very strongly.

"I saw how you limped around. You're hurt, and I don't want you using that leg any more than necessary until I can take a look at it."

"Medical school?"

"Medical school," he confirmed with a grin. "Besides, I'm faster than you."

An hour later they paused near a suburb. Edward knew suburbs when he heard them - big SUVs, lots of kids and strip malls. They had a different sound and feel than real cities, but right now he was perfectly happy with a suburb. They tended to rise later than urban areas, and dawn was just now breaking over the tops of the trees. The fewer people who saw him and Bella, the better. Questions were one thing he did not need right now.

While the streets were still steeped in shadow, Edward took his shirt back and hurried Bella to a 24-hour Western Union office. "Let me do the talking," he said quietly. She was an obliging creature, and he had no fear that she would object. "James took my money and ID, and I wasn't exactly going to go searching through the RV to get it back. I need to call home and have them wire us enough to live on for now, and we need to be done before the sun fully rises."

"Oh!" Bella's eyes opened wide. "Will it hurt you? I didn't think - "

"No," he said, smiling at her concern. "It doesn't hurt, but it will certainly draw attention and that's the last thing we need."

At that point they were opening the door of the office, and Edward ushered Bella in front of him. She blushed, and he wondered if anyone had ever shown her little kindnesses like holding a door for her. No matter; he was going to do so at every opportunity from now on.

"Hello," he greeted the bored-looking man behind the counter. "We were hiking in the forest, and when we got back to the trailhead our car had disappeared, along with our money, cell phones - everything. I'm looking to call my family and have some money wired to us."

"No problem," the man said, but as he pointed out the courtesy phone to Edward his eyes lingered on Bella. Edward bit back a growl and gently pulled her under his arm. She came willingly, nestling against him. Hopefully that would be enough to show this clerk what was what.

Edward called Alice first, hoping she would have seen something useful. She answered on the first ring, and just the sound of her trilling voice set him at ease. The stress of his ordeal had almost made him forget how much he missed his family.

"Edward!" she shrieked happily. "I've been waiting and waiting for your call. We would have come to rescue you, but there weren't any landmarks or anything I could use to pinpoint your location. I'm so glad you got out all right! When I saw that werewolf, I was afraid! Then everything went hazy for a while. But I saw you hunting, so I knew you'd managed to get out all right. Now, where are you and how much do you need?"

"Uh..." Edward glanced around. He really had no idea where they were. For all he knew, they could have easily crossed a state line by this point.

The man behind the counter slid a business card over to him, and Edward relaxed. They were still in Missouri, in a suburb of Springfield. He gave Alice the Western Union branch number.

"Is Bella still with you? Should I send enough for both of you?"

"Please," he said. "And I think we'll be staying in the area for a little while, heading back slowly. She's hurt and I don't want to push anything."

"Fine." Alice sighed. "But I really want to meet her!"

"You will," Edward said, hiding a smile as Bella glanced up at him curiously. "You will."

"Well, I'll call our local Western Union as soon as you hang up. But then I'm going to Seattle and getting a big bed to put in your room!"

"Alice - " Edward tried to warn her, but she hung up before he could say anything more. He shook his head resignedly as he hung up the phone and waited for his money to come through.

Fifteen minutes later he was holding a hefty wad of cash and thanking the clerk. The shadows along the streets were getting smaller, and he hurried Bella along toward a nice chain hotel he'd found in the phone book. It was only a few blocks away, but even so they barely made it inside the lobby before the shadows shrank too small to hide him any longer.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Edward stepped to the desk and requested a room with two beds for several nights. The concierge graciously ignored their frazzled appearances and within minutes they were riding an elevator up to the fifth floor.

"I can't believe it," Bella whispered, though they were the only ones in the elevator. "Just a few hours ago I was in James' RV and now..."

"I know," Edward said, rubbing her shoulder in a way he hoped was comforting. "But all that's over now, little one. He's gone, Victoria's gone, and you never have to go back there again. You're free."

"Free..." Bella said, rolling the word around in her mouth. "It sounds so strange. But what happens now?"

"Hush." The elevator doors opened, and Edward led her down the richly carpeted hall to their room. He opened the door and held it for her. After a moment, Bella hesitantly stepped inside.

The room was clean and pleasant enough. Soft carpet muffled their footsteps, and there were two queen beds, just as requested. The heavy daylight-blocking curtains were drawn back, but there were thin white curtains obstructing the view. There was a little sitting area with a sofa and a table, and two small bedside dressers with matching lamps and the requisite alarm clock. An entertainment center held a good-sized TV. Everything was very clean and warm and pleasant.

"There's no need to worry right now," Edward said quietly as Bella gazed around her with big, wondering eyes. "I won't abandon you, little one, I promise you that."

"You don't even know me," she murmured, looking back at him.

"No?" Edward stepped toward her and let the door close behind him. He took her hand in his, already craving the simple touch of her skin against him. "I know that you're a strong, sweet young woman who's had a tough time. I know you deserved none of the horrible things James and Victoria did to you. I know you're afraid of werewolves - and rightly so. I know you are courageous beyond belief, and I am forever grateful for your kindness and your caring."

She shook her head a little, at a loss, and inhaled shakily. "I don't know what to say."

"Nothing is necessary. Right now, this is what we're going to do. You are marching yourself into that bathroom, and you are going to take the longest bath or shower of your life. When you're done, you put this on," he said, handing her a folded hotel robe. "I'll order you the entire room service menu, and you'll eat and sleep. When you feel better I'll examine your wounds, and then we'll decide what to do. This is as good a place as any to recuperate for a while. The forest isn't far, so I can hunt easily. We can get cell phones and clothes and anything else we need, and then decide what to do from there."

"What about your family?" Bella asked hesitantly. "Won't they be missing you?"

"Hush now," Edward said, touching a finger to her soft lips. "No more questions until you're clean and fed. Deal?"

She nodded, and pressed an impulsive kiss to his hand before darting into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

Edward gazed after her for a while, a small smile on his face. She was right - there were many things they still had to discuss. But for now he wanted her to have time to rest, time to relax. He wondered how long it had been since she had a real roof over her head, something more permanent than the flimsy, black-painted RV. She'd seemed in awe of the hotel, her big eyes taking in everything as if it were new. Could it really have been so long since she'd last had a taste of comfort?

Edward opened the room service menu and perused it, taking note of their offerings. He hadn't really meant it when he said he'd order the whole thing. He remembered all too well the awful scratchy sound of Bella's voice when she screamed and cried just a few days ago. In her condition, so undernourished and thin, she'd likely take longer than normal to heal. Her throat was probably still hurting, and he looked for foods that would be soft and easy to eat - nothing too spicy or acidic or crispy. He was about to pick up the phone and order when he heard a soft whimper from the bathroom.

The water had shut off a minute ago, and he could hear the gentle sloshing sound that meant Bella was sitting in a bath. He hoped it was pleasant for her - he himself didn't care much for baths. The temperature of his skin cooled the water too quickly for it to be of any real use. Showers were better, with the constant replenishing of hot water.

Another whimper, and through the closed door Edward could hear the girl's heartbeat racing. Cautiously, wondering whether he should just leave her alone, he crossed the room and knocked softly.

"Bella?" he asked hesitantly, trying to keep his voice calm. "Is everything all right?"

"No!" Her voice was high and panicky, and that was all Edward needed. He pushed the door open, steeling himself for what he might find.

The smell of blood assaulted him immediately, and he was very, very glad that he had glutted himself so recently. The swirling steam in the bathroom seemed to caress him with her potent scent, and he had to stop breathing to center himself.

She looked up at him with big, frightened eyes, and he didn't have to ask why. Blood had pooled in the water, coloring it deep crimson, almost black, then fanning out in slow, spinning tendrils of rose.

"It hurts," she said, her voice tight with fear and pain, and she wrapped an arm around her lower abdomen. She was breathing in short little pants, and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

"Oh, god." Edward leaned down and scooped her tense body up into his arms. He carried her to one of the beds and lay her down carefully, tucking the terrycloth robe and towels around her. She was shivering now, out of the heated water, but he tried to ignore the fine trembling of her limbs as he pulled his medical mask in place to assess the damage. "Did this just start?" he asked, trying to keep his voice low and calm. "When did you notice the pain?"

She laughed and Edward took a careful look at her face, hoping she wasn't becoming hysterical. "It never stops hurting," she said, wiping sweat from her forehead with a bent arm. She shivered a little harder, but did not complain about the temperature in the room.

Edward moved from her toes upward, trying to check the damage to her thin frame with just his eyes. She had bruises of varying size and color spotted along most of her body, but he had expected that. The knee she'd been favoring was slightly swollen, but it didn't look serious enough to be a break. She had scratches and abrasions from the stick James had used to beat her, and he didn't like the look of her self-inflicted wound. It was red and inflamed, and the edges did not seem to want to knit back together.

And, as he'd feared when he found her, the blood was clearly coming from between her legs. He closed his eyes tightly for a long moment, then opened them again.

"Little one, I have to go downstairs to the hotel store to find a first-aid kit," he said, brushing his hand through her hair. "I'll turn the heat up, and be back as soon as I can."

She shook her head furiously and tried to hold his sleeve, but her small human strength was no match for him. He gently pried her hand loose and leaned over, brushing his lips across her damp forehead. "Just for a minute, Bella. I'll be right back, I promise."

Without waiting for her to answer, nervous that the sight of her terrified dark eyes would break him, Edward darted out the door. There was no one in the hall, and he took the stairs at vampire speed rather than wait for the elevator.

Next to the lobby on the ground floor was a small store - ostensibly a gift shop, but it catered to the needs of travelers reasonably well. Edward found a first-aid kit, some flannel pajama pants and a t-shirt that he hoped were at least close to Bella's size, and a bottle of combination pain reliever/fever reducer. There was probably some aspirin in the first-aid kit, but he wanted to make sure Bella had plenty. He paused before adding a small bottle of KY to the rest of his haul, wishing he didn't need it but wanting to be prepared for all contingencies. If he needed to do an internal exam, lubrication was a must.

The bored woman behind the counter didn't even blink as she charged everything to the room without really looking at it, and Edward hurried back to Bella as quickly as he could.

She was lying quietly where he left her on the bed, only the heaving of her torso belying how frightened she was.

"There's my girl," Edward said as he closed and locked the door behind them. He dumped everything on the bed and pulled a chair over from the little sitting area. "Bella, I'm going to ask you a few questions." He pulled a thermometer out of the first-aid kit, broke the sterile seal, and held it up to her mouth. She obligingly set it under her tongue and closed her lips around the glass tubing. "Your answers will decide whether we can try to treat you here or not. Or would you rather just go to a hospital?"

She shook her head, grimacing around the thermometer in her mouth. "Please," she mumbled. "I saw w-what's hurt. Don't want strangers..."

"Okay. Okay." He put a hand on her shoulder to keep her still. "I'll do my best to keep you out of the hospital, then." Edward found the ubiquitous little pad of paper and ballpoint pen that always seemed to reside in hotel rooms. "Don't talk with the thermometer in your mouth. Write down your answers if you need to do more than nod or shake your head."

She took the items, her hands only shaking slightly, and nodded.

"Good girl. Now, you said you could tell where the blood was coming from."

It wasn't quite a question, but Bella nodded anyway.

"Has this ever happened before?"

She nodded again, and scribbled on the pad of paper. _Not this bad_, Edward read.

"Bella, I have to ask. Is there any chance you could be pregnant?"

She shook her head. _On birth control. James insisted._

At least he had done one thing for her, Edward thought sourly. "Well, then this isn't a miscarriage," he said out loud. "Do you have painful or heavy periods?" In extreme cases, passing a large blood clot could result in fever, intense pain, and a buildup of blood and fluids that then released quickly behind the clot.

Another shake of the head. _None at all._

Whether that was because of malnourishment or birth control, Edward didn't press. Either way, it didn't really matter. He exhaled and dropped his head, knowing that the bleeding was likely from the brutal rape she'd suffered at the hands of James a few days ago. Clearly the time she'd spent inside the RV had not been long enough to heal all of the internal damage he'd done, and her subsequent movement had reopened any healing wounds.

"Little one," he said quietly, "why didn't you tell me it hurt so much?" Edward now felt immensely guilty that he'd hurried her along the streets of the waking town. They could have waited in the forest until dusk, when they could move about at leisure. He cursed himself bitterly in his head.

A warm hand on his cheek made him open his eyes, and Edward saw her looking at him calmly. _We had to get inside where you would be safe._ There was no accusation in her words or on her lovely face. He felt his heart constrict painfully, and he pressed his forehead against her upturned knee.

Bella made a small, wondering, catlike sound, and Edward raised his head quickly. He took the thermometer from her mouth and she smiled - she actually smiled. "Feels good," she said quietly, her cheeks turning rosy as she blushed.

"I'm sure the cold does feel good." Edward grimaced at the thermometer. She had a fever, though it wasn't high enough to rush her to the hospital. The temperature of his skin probably did feel good against her unnaturally warm flesh. He put his hand on her knee, tracing the thin white lines of old scars with his thumb. "I'm so, so sorry I rushed you," he said quietly. "I knew you were hurt. We could have waited until sundown."

She reached up a shaky hand and touched his cheek. "I didn't know this would happen," she said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for." Edward squeezed her knee gently.

"Am I going to be okay?"

He nodded. "I think so. You're not bleeding much anymore. I think the angle of your body and the hot water of the tub combined to release the blood from the re-opening of the ruptures." Edward struggled to put himself back in medical-mode, but it was difficult. This wasn't just some random test subject from med school. This was _Bella_. This girl had saved his life - if life is what he had - and had never treated him as anything but an equal. Not an animal. Not a monster. Now she was hurt, at least partially because of him, and all he wanted to do was take the pain away. He didn't want to have to explain to her the likely reasons behind why she had bled so badly. He just wanted to make the hurting stop...for both of them.

"You see...I know..." He exhaled in frustration, tugging a hand through his hair. "Look, you can't think of your vagina as a hole or a tunnel. That's not really true." Edward continued to rub her knee as he watched her face flame, hoping she found the touch soothing. She refused to look at him, and she was growing redder by the second. This wasn't comfortable for him, either, but he was resolved to continue. "When not aroused, the walls of your vagina lie...well, flat, I guess, is how you'd say it. There is no opening, as it were. Blood can get trapped, therefore, which is what I think happened to you. The hot water and angle of your body relaxed your pelvic muscles enough to let the blood flow."

She was still red, and Edward hesitantly moved his other hand to cup her cheek. She nestled into the cold touch gratefully. "So I'm still bleeding?" she stammered.

"Not much." Edward could smell that much without looking.

"When will it stop?"

"That all depends." He hesitated. "It would help to know how badly you've been hurt."

"You already looked," she mumbled, turning her head further into his cold hand.

"Not closely, and not inside."

She went completely still, and Edward knew she was not happy about the suggestion. He wasn't terribly happy about it, either. She had been so badly used for so long that the thought of anyone touching between her legs was likely intensely frightening to her. Edward didn't want to cause her any unnecessary pain - he hated the idea of possibly making her cry. But an internal exam would let him know how badly she was hurt, and where. Lacerations to her inner walls would heal, but damage to her cervix was more troubling.

"I know you've been hurt, little one," Edward said, trying to keep his voice steady. He didn't want to make her even more nervous by showing his own anxiety. "I know you probably want to just wrap yourself up tightly and never let anyone else touch you again. You've been so brave, here with me, and I won't make you do this. I couldn't. It's completely up to you. Believe me, I don't want to be doing this any more than you do."

She opened her eyes, her expression troubled and curious. Edward wanted to take his thumb and smooth away the frown between her eyes, but he restrained himself. "Y-you don't want to touch me?" Her voice was no more than a whisper.

"I don't..." Edward removed the hand on her knee and tugged on his hair again in frustration. She deserved the whole truth, but working that out into words would be difficult. "I...god, Bella, you're gorgeous. You have to know that. I love the feel of your skin - it's softer than silk, and so warm... But being beautiful hasn't done you any favors in your life, and I understand that. James might still have abused you if you were plain, simply because you were young and vulnerable and he was a monster. But I doubt he would have cared quite so much, or felt so possessive. Without your looks, it's possible you could have managed to get away. So I understand how you must feel about that."

Edward took an unneeded breath, carefully watching her face. She was looking at him, which made this infinitely more difficult. Her big, pretty eyes had seen so much, and yet they looked so innocent as she gazed at him. "But your question is a difficult one for me to answer, sweet girl. You're badly hurt, and while that might be a turn-on for a sadistic creep like James, it isn't for me. I may be a monster, but I'm not a monster like him. Yes, I want to touch you. I want to wrap you up tight in my arms and keep you safe forever. But I have no wish to invade your physical privacy, and you have no idea how much I wish we didn't have to even discuss this."

"I think I do," she said quietly, and when Edward looked at her again her bottom lip was tucked under her upper teeth again. "You don't blush, but I can see how uncomfortable this makes you. Almost as uncomfortable as it makes me." She paused, and while she did not look happy about it, she nodded slightly. "Okay."

"Okay what?"

"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "You can...check. But...please...be gentle?"

"Of course," he murmured, knowing he could not do otherwise. Not with this precious girl and her fragile trust. "Just a moment. I'm going to wash my hands. Do you want me to turn the heat up in the room? I know my skin is cold."

She shook her head, lip once again between her teeth, and he knew that she just wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible. So did he. He washed his hands thoroughly in the bathroom and returned to her, wishing there was a way to keep the area more sterile. There wasn't much he could do about that, though. She was lying on clean towels at least, and not the questionable top of a hotel bedspread.

"All right, little one. I'll be as quick as possible. Can you bring your knees up, feet flat on the bed?"

She complied, and Edward knelt on the floor at the end of the bed. He wished he had a little pen light or something similar, but at least with his vampire sight he could see more than a human doctor would. She was bare - shaved or waxed, he didn't know. It made it easier to see any damage done to her outer anatomy, but it also unfortunately made it easier to inflict said damage. Pubic hair was there for a reason - protection.

Edward opened the bottle of lube and smoothed a generous amount on his fingers. He had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but now he was at least glad that he was prepared. He wanted this to be as painless as possible for her.

"I'm going to touch you now, Bella," he said, trying to keep his voice low and even. "This will feel cold. I'm sorry; there's nothing I can do about that."

She tensed, as he knew she would. He touched her gently, sliding the back of his hand against her inner thigh so she knew where he was before he put his lubricated fingers on her labia. She was tense and trembling, and he fervently wished this wasn't necessary but there wasn't much he could do now but try to get it over with as quickly and gently as possible.

She had a small tear to her perineum, which he had more or less expected. It wasn't bad enough to warrant stitching; he was fairly sure it would heal on its own in time. She would forever be susceptible to re-tearing, but the only two things that could do that were rough sex and childbirth. The first, Edward knew, he would never, never allow. No matter what happened or what she chose to do once she was healed - whether she came to stay with his family or not - he knew he was not capable of allowing that sort of thing to ever happen to her again. Likely she felt the same, so he hoped it wouldn't be a problem. And the second? Well, she was young, and Edward had plenty of time to worry about how he'd feel if she fell in love with a human and wanted babies later.

She was slowly relaxing under his gentle touch; he could feel as her taut muscles softened and stopped trembling. Edward was glad of that, and he rubbed his lubed fingers slowly along her folds, feeling for the small tears in her swollen, abused tissue that he knew were there. His sensitive fingers found a few - less than he would have expected. He applied more lube to his fingers and rubbed one slowly around her entrance, knowing the difficult part was yet to come. "Okay, little one, I need you to try to relax for me," he said, placing his free hand on her lower abdomen, pressing down gently. "You're doing so well. Just a little more and we'll be done, I promise."

She tried to relax; he knew she tried. But years of abuse had primed her to expect pain, and she just couldn't do it. Edward didn't blame her. He waited a little longer, massaging her entrance softly, before pressing forward with just the tip of one finger. She sucked in a deep breath, but otherwise remained quiet.

"I'm being as gentle as I can," he murmured. "I'm sorry we have to do this at all, believe me." With his free hand he rubbed her knee gently, trying to soothe her. "Would it help if I talked to you about what I'm doing?"

She exhaled slowly and nodded a little, staring up at the ceiling.

"Okay. Try to relax your muscles where you feel me inside you. I know it's difficult, sweet girl. Believe me - I can't truly understand, but I can imagine how much you don't want to be doing this. Now, the ring of muscle just at the entrance of your vagina is the strongest. As I move further, it should be a little less uncomfortable. You tell me if it hurts too much, and I'll stop."

Bella was breathing slow and deep, intentionally trying to keep herself calm Edward hoped. He pushed forward a little farther, and just as he had hoped, her muscles began to slowly relax around his finger. She was still exceptionally tight, gripping with her warmth. Slowly he took his free hand and pressed gently on her abdomen while his finger was inside her, testing for tender or swollen spots that might indicate a more serious issue. She didn't flinch, and Edward let out his own breath.

"Good girl," he murmured. "Just a little more now. I need to move inside you - just a little bit - to feel for any internal tears or abrasions. I've lubricated well, so this shouldn't hurt. If it does, please tell me." He tried to keep repeating to her that it was important to tell him what hurt and what didn't. He didn't think she was secure enough to tell him on her own.

"Feels...good," she whispered, red creeping from her face all the way down her chest.

Edward stared. Had he actually heard her correctly? "The cold?" He'd assumed the temperature of his finger inside her would only make the experience more unpleasant, but she was nodding slightly.

"Cold...wet..." She blushed even redder. "Sometimes, after James would..." She swallowed hard. "I would use ice. It made it feel better."

Well, that made a little more sense. Ice would bring down the swelling and help numb the tissue. If this nerve-rich part of her body could stand the feeling, it would certainly help. Her comment about "wet" was a little more troubling.

"Bella, little one, did James or Victoria ever use lubrication when they raped you?"

She frowned, but still refused to look at him. "I don't know what you mean."

Edward applied some KY to his free hand. It was difficult to do one-handed, but he managed. He reached up carefully and rubbed his slick fingertips against hers, letting her feel the texture of the product. "Lubrication," he repeated. "Something to smooth the way, as it were."

She brought her hand close to her face and smoothed her fingers against each other, intrigued. "No," she said quietly. "Nothing like this. Sometimes James made me put his...thing...in my mouth, though. That's wet."

"That's beside the point," Edward said tightly. He began moving his finger within her slowly, as slowly as he could, feeling the texture of her inner walls with his heightened sense of touch. It was fairly clear to him that James had not cared to prepare Bella's body properly for intercourse. She should feel smooth inside, for the most part, but he felt ridges of scar tissue as well as new tears. Why James had done this, he couldn't say. Not many men preferred dry sex, he didn't think. But if James' intent was to cause as much pain as possible, this would certainly have done it.

Bella's breathing hitched, and something...changed. Edward couldn't say right away what it was, but then he felt a small, rolling quiver run through her muscles. She was blinking rapidly, and suddenly she tilted her head, her dark, confused eyes meeting his. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice slightly panicked.

At first Edward didn't know how to answer her, but then he moved his finger again, pushing in a little deeper, and found the softer, slightly swollen tissue of her G-spot. A purely involuntary little noise slipped from Bella's throat, and she sucked in another breath, her face still flaming. "What...are you doing to me?" she whispered.

Then Edward scented it - the change in Bella's sweet, tantalizing smell. It grew stronger, richer, imperceptibly smoother. He felt it, too, as her muscles relaxed a little more, almost hesitantly, and the first small drops of Bella's own lubrication seeped from her tissues. She was becoming aroused.

At first her confusion perplexed Edward. Hadn't she said that James had aroused her before, at least once? But just because he forced her body to react in a certain way didn't mean she enjoyed it, or that it felt pleasant at all. He knew perfectly well - though not from personal experience - that a man could be jerked off roughly, with an intensity that caused pain rather than pleasure. Surely the same went for women?

If so, it was very possible Bella had never felt actual pleasure, no matter how broad her sexual knowledge might be. He hated to think about it at all, and he rather wished this side effect of the examination had not occurred. It complicated things, and the last thing he and Bella needed right now was more complication. But thinking like that wasn't helping right now, he admitted to himself. The most important thing was to reassure her, to let her know what she was feeling was normal.

"Bella," he said, trying to keep his voice quiet, "have you ever had an orgasm?"

Her chest was rising and falling quicker now with her breaths. She shook her head, still watching him with wide, dark eyes. "Girls can't," she whispered.

"Oh, they can," Edward assured her. "Didn't you ever wonder why Victoria willingly slept with him?"

She shook her head again. "I tried not to think about it."

Edward smiled, despite the tense situation. "Yes. Yes, I can understand that. I'm sorry, little one; it was unintentional, but your body is responding to my touch."

"The cold feels good," she repeated, dropping her head back to the bed and closing her eyes. "Please don't stop. It feels so nice not to hurt..."

That wasn't the only reason it felt nice, but Edward refrained from correcting her. He used his free hand, now lubed, to gently rub and caress the folds of her vulva. Her entire genital area was swollen and red, more from the latest rape than current sexual arousal, and he wanted more than anything to ease her pain.

Her breathing quickened as he caressed her, stroking deeper with his finger inside of her, trying to feel for her cervix. Without a speculum there was no way he could actually see what sort of damage there might be, and he didn't know if touch would be of any use, but he wanted to try. But the angle of entry and his single digit did not allow him to reach deep enough, and he wasn't about to start moving vigorously enough to adjust his angle, let alone attempt to add another finger. She was behaving remarkably well, and under no circumstance was he going to push her any farther. He probed just a little deeper, the rest of his hand pressing against her warm flesh, and accidentally brushed her clit, which he'd been trying to stay away from.

Whether she was naturally incredibly responsive or it was just her body's complete lack of experience with pleasure, but that one small touch pushed her over the edge. It wasn't an explosive orgasm - it rolled through her body, pulsing, her inner walls tightening around his finger and pulling rhythmically as if drawing him deeper. She arched her back and made a soft, sweet noise full of wonder, drawing breath deep into her body. The sight of her and the sound falling from her lips absolutely melted Edward. She's mine, he thought, full of amazement that such a small, quiet human could make him feel this way. So protective, yet so at peace. He felt no need to hoard her jealously, like a fresh kill. He was no James. But watching her come slowly down from her gentle high, he wanted desperately to keep her. To share her sweetness and her light. To protect what needed protecting, heal what needed healing, and watch her grow into the lovely woman she was destined to be.

"Was that...?" she asked hesitantly, her skin flush with both fever and pleasure.

"It was," Edward agreed, and though he had not meant for it to happen, he felt a kind of pride that he had done this, given this to her. This thing that James wasn't interested in giving - wasn't _capable_ of giving.

"Wow." She turned even redder and pulled her hands up to her cheeks, hiding her face.

Edward slowly withdrew his finger, trying to be as gentle as possible with her sensitive flesh, and rubbed her folds softly before sliding up alongside her on the bed and drawing her carefully into his arms.

"Don't be embarrassed," he said, rubbing her shoulder with his clean hand. The finger he had used to enter her was streaked here and there with blood, and he wiped it surreptitiously on a towel. He'd ask housekeeping to take the dirty towels as soon as possible, to keep the smell of blood to a minimum. Though he was technically full the smell still enticed him, and he wanted to keep Bella as safe as possible. From him as much as anything else.

"I've never...I didn't know," she mumbled into his shoulder.

"I know. Please don't fret. It's natural."

She sighed and turned more fully into his arms, wrapping hers around him and clutching handfuls of his shirt. "Am I okay?"

"You will be," Edward said, fairly sure he was telling the truth. "No more baths for a while. Showers only for a week or so. Topical analgesics aren't good to use down there, so if it hurts ice is best. Since we've learned you don't mind it," he added, brushing a finger gently across her cheek.

She made a small noise and buried her face farther into his shoulder, and Edward chuckled. Everything she did was just too adorable, and she didn't even seem to know it.

"Your genitalia should heal if you take it easy for a while," he went on. "Try to stay off your feet as much as possible. You do have a fever, though, and I'm a little concerned about that."

"Is that why I feel so warm?" she asked. "I sort of thought it was just in contrast to you."

"No, you're definitely warm," he said, stroking her bare back, unable to keep his hands to himself since she didn't seem to mind. "That slice in your arm isn't healing well, either. It needs to be cleaned, and I'd like to put a few stitches in it if the first-aid kit has the supplies."

She blanched, pushing away slightly and raising her troubled face to his. Her lower lip was between her teeth again, and he knew the thought of stitches made her nervous.

"It's okay," he soothed, finding her hand and squeezing it gently. "You don't have to agree if you don't want to. I don't know if the kit is equipped for that sort of thing, anyway."

"What else?" she asked hesitantly.

"Nothing. Other than letting your wounds heal and getting you over this fever, you're fine. More than fine, Bella. You're free. Safe."

"So strange..." she murmured. "Unless you count my stay at the hospital, this is my first time in a real building in three years."

"I thought something like that might be the case when we walked in." Edward leaned forward, daring, and kissed her forehead. "Now, let's get you showered, dressed, and fed. Then we'll see about medical supplies."

She nodded willingly, and allowed him to help her back to the bathroom. While she showered, he called for the used towels to be taken away and new ones brought, along with several food choices for Bella from room service. For himself, Edward wanted to feed again tonight, just in case, to keep her safe. His body was metabolizing his large meal quickly, and he wanted to make sure he didn't suddenly find himself ravenous.

After calling room service, Edward used the hotel phone to put in another call to Alice.

"You should really tell her she's coming home with you," his sister said the moment she picked up. "She'll be too worried to really relax otherwise, and I can already see she ends up in the hospital with a dangerously high fever if you can't get her to rest and accept your help. If she's too worried about what happens next, she could die, Edward."

"Okay, okay!" he snapped, tugging a hand through his hair. Playing the death card really was a low blow. "I get it, all right?" He paused, trying to calm his irritation. "Will she come, Alice?"

"Signs point to yes," Alice replied. "Stop worrying so much, Edward! Just tell her she's coming home, and everything should be fine."

"I worry," he confessed. "She's so fragile, so..."

"Human?"

Edward growled into the phone.

"Well, she is, and there's no point in denying it. There's no shame either, Edward. Emmett was human when Rose found him, after all."

"Barely. Bella isn't near death."

"Well, that's a choice you two will have to discuss. Later, though. Get her through this sickness first. Then come home to us, all right?"

Edward opened his mouth to snarl that there was no way he was taking away Bella's human life - not now, and not ever. But before he could get the first word out, he heard Alice giggle. "And don't argue with me, Edward, you know it's pointless. Now go attend to your girl. Call if you need anything." And she abruptly hung up.

* * *

Bella slipped out of the bathroom a small while later, her damp hair gleaming and her skin rosy. She blinked sleepily and her cheeks reddened even further when she saw Edward.

"Don't be embarrassed, little one," he said, holding out his hand. "You've done nothing wrong."

She placed her hand in his and came willingly into his arms when he pulled her close. "I just...thank you," she said quietly, rubbing her hot cheek against the smooth texture of his shirt. "No one's ever been this kind to me before."

"I am rarely kind." Edward kissed the top of her head, smoothing a hand through the tangles. "You mistake my motive. I am a monster, Bella. But I care deeply for you, and I want you to be safe and happy."

"How is that different from being kind?" She tipped her head back and gazed at him, a small smile on her face. "I think you underestimate yourself. Just because you prefer a solitary life does not make you unkind. You let those animals free. Nobody made you do that. And you took me with you, once you were out of that cage. You could have left me to fend for myself."

"I couldn't have done that," Edward argued. He picked her up in his arms, though he knew she was perfectly capable of walking, and couldn't help the surge of happiness that ran through his body when she willingly slipped her arms around his shoulders. The fingers of one hand found the back of his neck and stroked hesitantly at the soft hair. It felt amazing, and he wished he had all the time in the world to just enjoy that soft touch. "I couldn't - wouldn't - have left you." He remembered what Alice said, and hoped this was a reasonable time to tell Bella she was coming home with him. "And I won't leave you now," he said, bringing her to one of the beds and laying her gently down. "Bella, I can't and won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. But I know you're worried about what happens now. I'd very much like you to come home with me, once you're well enough to travel."

She stared up at him, amazement written plainly across her lovely features. "Come home with you?" she repeated dully. "For real?"

"Yes, for real," he said, smiling at her shocked face.

"But...but what about your family?"

"I spoke with my sister, Alice. She can't wait to meet you. I'm sure the others feel the same." Well, probably not Rosalie. But Edward refrained from mentioning that to Bella just now.

"Your sister." Bella blinked and rubbed a hand across her forehead. "Somehow, when you spoke of a family, I thought..."

"Little vampires running around underfoot?" Edward chuckled. "No, silly Bella. We can't reproduce that way."

There was a knock on the door, and Edward paused. "That will be your meal. You eat, and I'll tell you about my family. Deal?"

She nodded obligingly and struggled into a sitting position as Edward answered the door. When she saw the size of the tray he set next to her on the bed, her eyes grew wide. "Is all of that for me?" she squeaked, and Edward had to chuckle.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to eat it," he said, wrinkling his nose. "I want you to eat a decent-sized meal for once, but don't make yourself sick. Vomiting leads to dehydration, and that will only add to your troubles."

There was a full carafe of orange juice, and he poured her a big glassful. "Speaking of which," he continued, pressing the cup into her hand, "drink this before you eat anything."

Bella obeyed, as he knew she would, and she seemed to truly enjoy each swallow. The vitamin C and the liquid both would help. He'd ordered her soft breakfast foods, noting the time of day. Later he'd worry about balancing out her diet, but for now he just wanted to get some liquid and calories into her system. Poor baby looked like she hadn't had a decent meal in the three years she'd been held captive by James.

He returned to the chair by her bedside as she stared with big eyes at the plates of scrambled eggs, soft cut fruit, and the bowl of cinnamon-smelling oatmeal. There was also a mug of herbal tea, with small dishes of honey and lemon wedges. The way she hesitantly brought the first strawberry to her lips was amusing and heartbreaking all at once, her motions slow and careful, as if she thought someone might snatch the food away.

To distract both himself and her, Edward began talking. He spoke of his father and mother, the doctor and architect, and how loving they were to their adopted "children". He talked about Rosalie's love of cars and Emmett's playfulness, of Alice's foresight and joy, Jasper's skill with emotion. He explained about their life - how they moved from town to town, doing their best to fit in, leaving only when they could no longer hide the fact that they did not age. She ate up his words as eagerly as her breakfast, her eyes bright and wistful as he spoke of their family ties and devotion to each other.

He'd moved on to recounting some of their funny exploits, reminiscing about the time Emmett tried to convince everyone at one high school that Edward was the bastard half-brother of Princes William and Harry. Just before he got to the good part - where Emmett had actually convinced some of the idiot freshman to bow before him - he noticed Bella's head nodding over the mug of tea perched precariously in her drooping hands. Edward chuckled fondly and removed the cup, then put the tray outside the door for housekeeping to collect.

Returning to Bella, he placed a gentle hand on her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled sleepily at him. "Your family sounds wonderful, Edward," she murmured.

"They'll love you," he promised. "I want you to swallow a painkiller before you sleep. Can you do that for me?"

She nodded, and he fetched her a cup of water from the bathroom and shook two pills from the bottle he'd purchased. "We'll get you some real clothes and things later, but for now, just sleep. It may take a few days for your fever to break. Just rest now, little one."

"Will you stay?"

Edward nodded. "How could I do otherwise?" He kissed her forehead and helped her burrow under her blankets, hearing her soft, contented sigh.

"Please," she said, her voice sliding quickly toward sleep. "I don't even know your name."

Edward smiled. Funny how some things were forgotten when relationships grew so quickly. "I am Edward," he said, stroking her hair. "Sleep now."

She nestled further into her pillows. "Edward..."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Before he could respond, she was asleep.

* * *

Bella slept like the dead.

For hours she did not wake. She hardly moved. The slight rise and fall of her chest as she breathed was the only reassurance Edward had she was still, in fact, with him. Soon after falling asleep she curled herself up into a small ball and stayed that way. His imagination wondered whether it was an unconscious reaction, as her body was used to sleeping on the ground with just a thin blanket as protection from the elements.

Edward was fascinated by her sleep. Her face grew pinker as her fever spiked and her forehead glistened with a thin sheen of sweat, but she did not move to throw off the blankets and so he let her be. Sometimes fevers needed to be broken by cooler temperatures, but sometimes what worked best was to just let a patient sweat it out. As long as she was sleeping peacefully and her pulse remained steady, he would not intervene.

While she slept, Edward took the opportunity to take his own shower. He was glad to wash the filth of the Midnight Carnival from his skin and hair, and he suspected Bella had felt the same way. He was only washing a week or so of torment from his body, though. She needed to wash away years, and one shower wouldn't fix everything.

But she had saved him - had braved one of her deepest fears to set him free - and he wasn't about to let her down now. Whatever she needed, he would provide. He suspected some needs would be harder to meet than food, clothing, and shelter...but they'd cross that bridge later. Right now she had a full belly and she was clean and asleep. Her wounds would heal, her fever would pass. The rest would come in time.

Edward wanted nothing to do with his old clothes - wanted to burn them, really. But he had nothing else to wear, and he would have to leave the hotel to procure necessary items once the sun went down. He was extremely thankful that humans seemed to be moving more and more toward a nocturnal state. During his human lifetime shops rarely stayed open much after dark. Getting clothing and other necessities for himself and Bella would have been infinitely more difficult back then.

He passed the afternoon peacefully enough while Bella slept. He checked the wound on her arm and smeared some antibacterial ointment on it, but the first-aid kit did not have the necessary materials to suture the puckered, inflamed skin back together. It was not bleeding, and a butterfly bandage might be good enough; he would try once she woke. For now he placed sterile gauze over the wound and taped it in place, more to keep the ointment from smearing across her clothes and the bed than anything else.

Edward prowled their room a little more and found a small refrigerator and a microwave hidden in the shelving unit that contained the TV. He immediately returned to the gift shop and bought a handful of popsicles, which he crammed into the fridge's tiny icebox. He hoped Bella would enjoy the frozen treat when she woke. She seemed to like cold things well enough.

He watched her sleep for a while, enchanted by the pink of her cheeks and the heat he could feel absolutely radiating from her body, even without touching her. He disliked the fact that she was sick, but it merely enhanced her intriguing human characteristics. She was so many things vampires were not: warm, soft, and fragile. Vampires did not become ill. They did not wound - not like humans. Bella did all these things, and while Edward lived amongst humans with his family, it was a very different sensation than actually have a trusting young girl asleep in his presence. She was so sweet, and still so very innocent even after everything that had been done to her. She trusted Edward not to hurt her, and he promised himself over and over again, with each beat of her heart, that he would never, ever abuse that trust.

There was, of course, the small problem of how to get her home. Renting or buying a car would require identification, as would plane, train, or bus tickets. He had no doubt that Alice already had a contact hard at work making him a new driver's license to replace the one lost at James' place, but even with her foresight these things took time. And then there was Bella to consider. Alice couldn't get a license ready for her without a photo, which she did not have.

If he were alone, Edward would just run home. It would take a couple of days to get from southwest Missouri to northwest Washington, even at vampire speed, but it was easy and did not require interaction with humans. It might be the best option, even with Bella. He glanced at her as he thought. She did not seem afraid to touch him. If he dressed her warmly, he could carry her for hours with ease. They would have to stop for breaks, which meant the run would take longer. But they could do it. It wasn't ideal, but it might be the best option. Alice might think nothing of stealing a car if she were in a jam, but Edward didn't consider it a safe option right now. He already had a lost wallet with various forms of ID floating around somewhere - whether it had still been in James' possession when the man died, he didn't know. But that was enough to worry about without adding grand theft auto to the mix.

Besides, he could almost guarantee that Bella wouldn't like it. And he would do just about anything to keep her happy.

Dusk fell quicker than he had expected, and Bella still did not wake. He paced a little, from his chair to the door and back again, trying to make a decision. He didn't want to leave her, but they needed some necessary supplies. He finally decided to go quickly and come back as soon as he could. She had slept long and deeply; in all likelihood she would stay asleep and wouldn't even know he'd been gone.

Decision made, Edward made sure his cash was in his pocket and he ventured out into the town. From perusing the phone book, he knew there was a strip mall close by with both a large drug store and an Old Navy. While Alice patently forbade any member of the Cullen family to buy clothing from a store like that, at this point he didn't care. They had clothes there, and plenty of them.

The store was busy enough with people just off work that he avoided confrontation with salespeople for the most part. Bella's old clothes were so worn that he could barely make out the sizes on the tags, but he hoped he had read them right. The bra was the worst - numbers _and_ letters. How did women keep it all straight in their heads? Why couldn't they just label everything small, medium, and large?

Edward picked out several pairs of jeans for him, and new socks, boxers, and t-shirts. Most of this would be promptly donated by Alice as soon as they reached home, so it didn't matter too much to him. As long as things were clean, he didn't care. He did pick one hooded sweatshirt because, while vampires did not feel the cold as humans did, that didn't mean they enjoyed being rained on.

For Bella he was a little more careful. He bought her soft, stretchy yoga pants and matching hooded sweatshirts, several pairs of socks, and brightly-colored underwear rolled up in a bag. He added one pair of jeans in case she didn't want to walk around in public in the form-fitting yoga pants. He thanked the clothing gods Alice was always praying to when he found a section of camisoles with something called a "built-in shelf bra" and eagerly grabbed a few. Surely that would do for now, and Alice or Esme could take her shopping for real bras later? He hoped so.

His shoes were still fine, but Bella's ratty old Keds were practically useless, so he bought her a new pair of canvas sneakers. Again, he knew Alice would completely overhaul whatever he bought when they got home, so he didn't bother even trying to buy much. This was just to get them to Forks.

At the drug store, Edward tossed his Old Navy bags in a cart and proceeded up and down the aisles, hoping he wasn't forgetting anything. The medical supplies from the first-aid kit would likely last until they reached their destination, so he didn't bother with more. He bought toothbrushes and toothpaste, and soap and shampoo that was better quality than the little hotel samples. He got Bella a package of pads to help with the bleeding, and threw in a bottle of multivitamins, too. She needed calories and nutrition, and this would help. Gatorade, to keep her hydrated while she was feverish. Backpacks for both of them, to pack their things when they left the hotel. Just the basics.

Edward hurried back to the hotel, nervous about having left Bella for so long. He'd been gone maybe an hour and a half, walking time included, but he hadn't wanted to leave at all. Probably she slept, he told himself as he rode up the elevator like a normal person instead of taking his multitude of bags up the stairs. Of course she slept. What else would she do?

But Bella was not asleep when he entered the room. She was sitting up in bed and panting, her eyes big and frightened. A gleaming sheen of sweat coated the skin he could see, and her eyes were hazy when she turned to him.

"Edward!" she said, and she tried to get out of bed, reaching for him.

He was at her side in a flash, gathering her small frame into his arms. "Shh, little one," he said, settling her back in bed. "It's all right. I'm here. What's wrong?"

She had kicked off all her blankets, and the wide legs of her new pajama pants had ridden up to the middle of her thighs.

"Thought you left," she whimpered, pressing against him. Her skin was red - moist and hot to the touch - and Edward stroked her damp hair gently. "Sick," she added, grimacing. "I woke up alone, and my throat is so dry..."

"Oh, little one." Edward kissed the top of her head. "We can fix that. Please don't fret. I said I wouldn't leave you, and I won't. Please try to believe me, Bella. I couldn't hurt you like that." _Or myself_, he thought, but he refrained from speaking the words. Now was not the time. "Let me get up, sweet girl, and I'll get you a drink."

"But you feel so good," she mumbled, pressing as much of her body against him as she could.

"No doubt," Edward said wryly. "Let me take your temperature again, and then you can have all the cold Gatorade you can drink, okay?"

She nodded willingly, and Edward handed her the thermometer again. He fished in a bag for one of the refrigerated bottles of red liquid and popped the cap for her. After two minutes they traded drink for thermometer, and Edward frowned at her temperature as she drank deeply.

"Don't just swallow," he said, stroking her hair with one hand. "Swish it around in your mouth - gargle, even, if you can. Let the tissues absorb some of the liquid."

"I hate Gatorade," she said finally, breathing deeply. There wasn't much left in the bottle. "But this tastes amazing."

"When was the last time you had something that wasn't stale water from the RV?"

Bella shrugged. "In the hospital, I guess. Before that? Years."

"Come here." He sat next to her on the bed and leaned against the headboard. She came willingly into his arms and rested her head against his chest with a contented little sigh. Her temp had spiked to almost 102, and Edward was nervous. Whatever bug she'd caught, her body was battling hard to fight it. But if her fever rose much higher, she could easily die. Already her face flamed, and while she sounded mostly coherent there was a filmy haze over her beautiful eyes. While he'd use just about any excuse to touch her, to hold her, at this point it was important to bring her fever down. His body temperature would help more than just about anything other than a chilled IV.

"I was afraid," she mumbled against his chest.

Edward hugged her close, wishing he had time to put on a clean shirt but not about to move now. "That I had left?"

"Mm-hm." She nestled closer, her voice sounding both calmer and less coherent.

"I won't, little one, I promise I won't. I know it's hard for you to trust people, but I'm not leaving you."

"I trust you," she said quietly. "But my nightmares are so real sometimes."

"I'm right here with you. I'll do my best to make them go away. Nothing in your dreams could possibly be scarier than a real-life vampire."

"You'd be surprised," she mumbled.

Edward sighed and rested his cheek against her head. She was right, of course. "Would you take some more medicine for me? It will help with the fever, and any pain."

She willingly swallowed two more pills with the rest of the Gatorade. There were adorable tiny red stains at the corners of her mouth from the dyed liquid, and Edward badly wanted to lick them. But now was not the time. Instead he offered her food, which she declined, or a popsicle, which she eagerly accepted. But she fell asleep on his chest before it was halfway gone, and he tossed the melting treat into the bedside trash can. He angled them to lie fully on the bed, keeping as much of his body in contact with her as possible. Her abused body needed all the help it could get to fight this.

* * *

Bella's fever broke early the next morning, her temperature falling by a degree and a half. She was still hot, but not dangerously so. Edward breathed a sigh of relief as he put the thermometer aside and called Alice on the hotel phone.

"Will she be all right now?" he asked with no preliminaries.

"When was the last time you called to actually talk to me?" she pretended to whine. "This girl's really done it for you, hasn't she?"

"She saved my life, Alice, but that isn't it. I can't explain it, but I need her."

"Good thing she's the patient type. I know I certainly couldn't put up with you hovering like this if it were me."

"Alice, I mean it! Is she going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine, Edward," she said, her voice gentling and the teasing leeching out of it. "Please try to calm down. Worrying isn't going to help any."

"Will she stay?"

"With us, you mean?" Alice's voice was warm. "There's a vision I'd like to show you. Unfortunately, we can't do that over the phone."

Edward froze. Alice's words had made him remember something he'd almost forgotten in the worry over Bella's well-being. Once he stepped free from James' and Victoria's damnable cage he had been able to hear their thoughts, and the thoughts of the werewolf. He had not realized right away, but it was clear enough now that, for whatever reason, he never caught so much as a hint of Bella's thoughts. Her mind was completely closed to him.

"I can't hear her, Alice!"

"Bravo, brother, I thought you'd never figure it out!" Alice giggled, obviously enjoying her sibling's momentary distress. "Don't worry about it, Edward. She's a natural shield; I've seen it."

"If she's a shield, then how come you can see visions of her?"

"Jasper will be able to sense her emotions as well. I can't say why - that might be a question for Eleazar someday. For now, it's best to just to accept her for who and what she is."

"I do, Alice. But I worry. A human shield? What if the Volturi learn of this? You know how Aro likes to collect...oddities."

"If it ever happens, I will see Aro's decision. Try not to worry about eventualities. Just enjoy this gift you've been given, Edward. She's yours now, and you deserve to be happy."

Edward gazed at Bella, asleep still and tucked closely into his side. The fiery color in her cheeks had paled slightly, and she looked less troubled. He allowed himself a smile. "I don't deserve her," he murmured to his sister, "but I couldn't possibly give her up. Not now that I know she exists."

"Nobody deserves anybody, Edward, that's not how love works." Alice giggled again. "Don't you know that by now, brother mine?"

"How should I?" He trapped the receiver between his shoulder and his ear, and used his hand to trace the soft contours of Bella's face. She was warm and sweet, her hair falling softly over her cheek. He brushed it back, exposing the delicate line of her throat. "This has never happened to me before."

"Well, now it has. Enjoy it, Edward. Do you want to talk to Esme or Carlisle?"

"Not right now." Edward wanted nothing more than to watch Bella sleep. "We'll head toward home as soon as Bella's healthy enough to travel."

"I'll see when you decide," Alice replied. "Stay safe until then, and call if you need anything."

Edward hung up, his expression rapt as he gazed at the human girl asleep in his arms. She was so strange, this Bella. So captivating. Never had he met a human with so little regard for her own safety that she would risk it to save a vampire. Never had he met a girl so beautiful, so alluring. He wanted the world for her. Wanted to give her everything she wanted, everything she needed. He wanted to help her heal and watch her shine.

Most of all, he wanted to keep her human. No matter what Alice might insinuate, he knew that no good could ever come of turning someone into a monster. Bella had known too many monsters in her short life already; there was no need for her to become one herself. He would love her for the entirety of her short human life, and when her time on this earth ended, so would his. The thought of death left him...peaceful, really, he thought. Because he could not survive without her, now that he knew she existed. He had no wish to try.

She shifted in his arms, exhaling a peaceful breath, and her eyes fluttered. When they opened, Edward smiled. The fevered haze was gone; her big dark eyes were clear now, though sleepy.

"You're here," she breathed, a hesitant smile on her face. She blinked again, then rubbed her eyes with the heel of her palm. "I sort of thought it might all be a dream."

"It's no dream, little one," Edward said quietly, wrapping his hand around hers. "You're free, and here with me."

Her smile grew bigger, though it was still gentle. "If you were a dream, you'd be a good one. Not a nightmare."

"Really?"

She nodded shyly, the smile still playing across her lovely features. "I thought you'd maybe like to know."

"You're too good to be true, you know that?" Edward pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I'm just me," Bella protested, nestling closer to him as he reluctantly pulled his lips away. "Nothing special."

"That's where you're wrong, sweet girl. You are so, so special. So incredibly important. Please don't sell yourself short."

She shook her head, pressing her hot forehead into the crook of his neck. "It's hard to hear, you know. James and Victoria always said - "

"Hush, little one. Don't for one minute believe a word they ever told you. None of it could possibly be true."

"Some of it is," she argued, still holding her warm body against him and refusing to meet his eyes. "They called me an ignorant little idiot, and it's true. I haven't been to school since my dad died."

"That isn't your fault, and you're not an idiot. I can tell by talking to you that you're perfectly intelligent and capable of whatever you put your mind to."

"Not everything," she tried to argue, but Edward cut her off.

"Maybe not tightrope walking; I saw that you can be a little clumsy sometimes. But you're not an idiot, Bella. You're a smart girl who was thrown into a bad situation. When we get home, we can start rectifying things. We'll tutor you, or find you a professional tutor, whichever you like. And when you're ready, you can decide to continue home-schooling or come to the local high school with us."

"You really think I can catch up before I get too old for high school?" Bella asked doubtfully.

"I think you're more than capable," Edward said, and he meant it. "Now, no more worrying. You're still sick, and stress isn't helping you get any better." He kissed her forehead again, unable to stop himself. Her skin was so warm, so soft under his lips. "Now, I have some surprises for you."

Bella moved her head, peering up at him warily. "I don't really like surprises," she said.

Her careful expression and taut voice made Edward instantly sorry he'd phrased his words that way. The last thing he wanted was for her to distrust him. Of _course_ she'd dislike surprises; nothing unexpected in the past few years could possibly have been pleasant.

"Oh, little one," he said, touching her cheek with just the tips of his fingers, "I'm sorry. It's nothing bad, I promise." Hesitantly, he shifted off the bed, his body instantly aching from the lost contact. Bella's hand began to move as if reaching for him, but she stopped as she saw him draw shopping bags out from under the bed. Her beautiful eyes got big as he spilled the contents across her lap - soft new clothes, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, hairbrush - everything. Her hands hovered over the items as if she didn't quite dare to touch them.

"It's okay, Bella," Edward said quietly. "It's all for you. Well, okay, some of the clothes are mine. And a toothbrush. But the rest of it is yours."

A tear dropped, making a wet spot on a navy blue hooded sweatshirt.

"Oh, god, why are you crying?" Anxiety laced through Edward. Had he somehow misjudged, miscalculated something? Did she not like something he'd provided? Was it all wrong? Should he have waited until Alice could -

She wiped a hand across her eyes and sniffed. "New clothes?" she asked hesitantly, sounding amazed. "New clothes - for me?"

Edward let out a huge breath. "Of course, sweetheart. Your old rags are already in the trash. This is just for the trip home, of course. Once we get there, my sister Alice will provide you with much more, and better quality. But for now..."

"I haven't had more than one extra change of clothes since I came to live with James," Bella whispered. "And it's always been the cast-offs even Goodwill wouldn't want." Her dark eyes flicked up to his, still brimming with tears, but her face was shining. "Thank you, Edward."

"Anything for you." He meant it. Whatever she wanted. _Anything_ she wanted, so long as he got to see that beautiful look on her face again.

"But...why?"

"Because I love you, Bella." Edward knelt next to the bed and touched her cheek softly. He supposed he should feel nervous about admitting this, but he didn't. Saying the words felt...right. Natural. "I know it's too soon, and I don't expect you to say it back. Not now, and maybe not ever. I'm not pressuring you into anything, and I want you to understand that. But you're the sweetest, kindest person I've ever met, and I love you. I'd give you the world if you asked me to."

Another tear dropped from Bella's brimming eyes, and she caught her breath. Blinking hard, she launched herself out of the bed and into his cold arms.

Edward found his grip suddenly full of a warm, shuddering body as she cried on his shoulder, holding him tightly.

"Hush, sweet girl, why the tears?" He moved them back to the bed, cradling her in his arms, and tucked her head firmly under his chin. "There's no need to cry. I don't expect anything from you, Bella, there's no reason to be sad or afraid..."

She shook her head and clutched him even tighter. "How can you love me?" she whispered, warm tears falling against his throat. "You're so b-beautiful and strong, and I'm n-nothing...human...nothing..."

"Everything," Edward said firmly, pulling back against the feeble strength of her arms and tipping her chin up so he could see her eyes. "Bella, you're everything to me. And this isn't some whim, sweet girl. When vampires fall in love, it's for good. Permanent."

There was a spark of something in the sweet brown depths of her eyes, and Bella touched his cheek wonderingly. "I still don't understand," she murmured, tracing her fingertips across the firm line of his jaw and then the softer curve of his lips. "I don't deserve you." Another tear dropped.

Edward leaned forward and kissed the shining drop. The taste of warm salt met his tongue. "I said those exact words to Alice on the phone a little while ago. Exact, but opposite - I told her that I didn't deserve you. Do you know what she said?"

Bella shook her head minutely.

"She told me that people don't deserve each other, that love doesn't work that way. I may be old, Bella, but I'm new at this."

"Me, too," she whispered. The expression on her face made a delicious, peaceful kind of warmth bleed through Edward's frame. He'd never felt anything like it before. Love, certainly. He'd known he loved her - had been able to admit it to himself - since he saw her hunched, limping figure move toward him after three agonizing days of not knowing whether she was alive. Now, though...now it was different. She hadn't told him she loved him back, and he didn't expect her to. Not so soon, not while she was still sick and so many things were still up in the air. But there was an expression in her brown eyes that gave him peace. She cared about him. Not as a poor creature she took pity on and tried to help, and not as a benefactor suddenly heaping new clothes in her lap. She cared about _him_, about Edward Cullen. He didn't think anything could top the feeling of seeing all that in her eyes.

"I usually make it a habit to trust Alice," Edward murmured, holding Bella's still-feverish body firmly in his arms. "What do you say we try to do that together? Trust her, and see what happens?"

"I'd like that." Bella's hand returned to his mouth, ghosting over his lips with a hesitant brush. "Edward?"

"Mm?" He nipped gently at her fingertips with his lips, opening just a little and closing them against her soft flesh. He loved the way her eyes glazed over slightly, her entire attention focused on the movements of his mouth.

"Can I ask you...?"

"Anything." He moved his slow, careful kisses to the next fingertip.

"W-would you...kiss me?"

God, yes. Edward moved his mouth, placing a firmer kiss against her hot palm, then the tempting fragile inside of her wrist. He caught her hand loosely with his, holding it against his cheek, and bent toward her.

She was trembling in his arms, her eyes big and wide, the pupils dilated as he drew closer. Her mouth opened and a gentle breath tickled his chin before he settled his lips against hers.

Bliss. She was everything he could have dreamed - warm, deliciously soft, her lips a little wet. He kissed her as gently as he could, brushing his mouth softly against hers, barely touching. He held her hand on his cheek still, and couldn't resist letting his tongue slip out to softly lick her lower lip.

She made a small noise and reached for him with her free hand, sliding her warm palm across his shoulder and up the back of his neck, winding into his hair. Her body moved toward him almost of its own volition, and her mouth settled more firmly against his.

Bella was breathing a little harder when she finally pulled away, her eyes still big but now unafraid. The hint of a blush tinted her cheeks as she whispered, "Thank you."

"For what?" Edward asked, smiling. He pressed his forehead against hers.

"My first kiss."

"You're joking."

She shook her head, her blush deepening, and nestled closer against him. "I was only thirteen when I came to stay with James, and he never wanted to kiss me."

"Good," Edward growled, holding her tighter. "At least you can have one untainted experience." He took a deep breath, fighting back his anger at the dead man. It was useless now. "He missed out. Your kiss was amazing. Delicious."

Bella pulled back and raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

"I'm not taking it back," Edward said decisively, smiling widely at her. "You _are _delicious. But I won't harm you, Bella. I couldn't."

"I trust you, Edward." Bella opened her mouth to say something more, but before she could form the words her stomach rumbled loudly.

Edward chuckled. "That sounds like a command if I ever heard one."

Bella blushed deeper and hid her face in his chest.

"Don't hide, little one. There's no reason to ever hide from me." He rubbed the back of her neck, then ran his hand down her back. "Why don't you shower? It'll probably feel good after sweating so much. I'll order you up some food, and you can watch TV if you're not sleepy. How does that sound?"

"Good." Bella rubbed her eyes. "My body's all lethargic, but I don't think my head wants to sleep."

"Then you don't have to, as long as you promise to rest. Is there anything in particular you want to eat?"

"More popsicles?" she asked, sounding pleadingly hopeful.

Edward had to laugh. She was too adorable for words. "You can have as many popsicles as you want, silly Bella, but that's not a meal. What can I order you from room service?" But he could deny her nothing when she looked so wistful, and so he crossed to the mini fridge and pulled a popsicle from the tiny icebox. "Here, take it with you. Now, food?"

She unwrapped the frozen treat and gave it an eager lick before putting the tip in her mouth and sucking. "Feels so good on my throat," she mumbled, smiling.

Edward thought he could watch her lips and tongue devouring the popsicle all day, but suddenly a sick feeling twisted in his gut. Though James was dead, the memory of what he had forced this girl to do lingered. It would take a while, Edward knew, before he could think of Bella doing anything more sensual than sweetly kissing, without the memory of James twisting and perverting his thoughts. The way she was licking her treat was terribly arousing, but the thought of James absolutely killed any positive emotion.

Time, he told himself. They had plenty of time.

"Grilled cheese," Bella said, drawing him out of his daze. "I'd love some grilled cheese and soup, if it's possible. I can't remember the last time I had anything like that."

It was a good choice. He'd order whole-grain bread and a vegetable-rich soup - no French onion or anything creamy. Tomato would be good if they had it. The fat in the cheese would help with much-needed calories, too. Add plenty of liquid to drink - more Gatorade for the electrolytes - and it really was an excellent meal option. "Okay," he readily agreed. "Grilled cheese and soup it is. Let's get the drug store stuff into the bathroom, and then you take as long as you want in the shower."

* * *

_Once again, thoughtful reviews means the next part gets posted faster. Have a great weekend! Oh, one warning: next chapter is NSFJL (not safe for Jacob lovers)._


	3. Chapter 3

_Sniffle. The end of a fic! I'm not too emotional because this was only a three-shot, but still. Thanks to all my lovely reviewers - you guys are amazing!_

_For those of you also following my long story "As Children After Play," here's a little hint at this week's installment. Yes, it's what you've been waiting for: Edward and Bella's reunion!_

* * *

**Midnight Carnival**

Three days later, Bella's fever was gone and Edward decided she was probably rested enough to make the trip to Washington. It would be a several-day journey, and he planned to stop every night at a hotel so she got plenty of sleep. Ordinarily night was the best time to run, as it was less likely anyone would see him. But he refused to upset Bella's sleep schedule any more than absolutely necessary and she was definitely not a nocturnal teenager. Thankfully they were headed across some of the most sparsely-populated parts of the United States. Long stretches of prairie and badlands, and later mountains, with virtually no inhabitants lay before them. Edward purchased several maps and a pay-as-you-go cell phone, and had planned out approximately where they would stop each night. He needed to know they would be close to civilization when Bella became tired and needed to sleep.

Her knee still gave her some trouble, and the jagged slice down her arm was not healing well. Edward was fairly sure he'd stopped the beginnings of infection, but it really did need stitches. She still seemed uncomfortable with the idea, so he was waiting until they reached Forks. Carlisle would have the drugs to sedate her and make it a less stressful experience for all involved.

Bella seemed alternately excited and nervous to meet his family. He knew she worried about what they'd think of her no matter how many times he tried to reassure her. It was just part of her nature, and he had to accept it. She would probably always be a little shy, a little unsure of herself. Whether it was intrinsic to her character or a result of James' abuse he couldn't say. Not that it really mattered at this point. Bella was adamant about leaving the past behind them and moving on with the future. It was a good outlook, and Edward strove to follow her example.

It wasn't always easy, though.

She had nightmares sometimes - more often about the wolf than about James, for reasons unknown. Bella was not forthcoming with details about the night the werewolf had been captured, and Edward wasn't about to demand what she wasn't willing to give. When she cried out in her sleep it tore at his dead heart, and Edward wanted nothing more than to enter her dreams and rip to shreds whatever was causing her pain. Since that was impossible, he tried to content himself with waking her gently, then holding her while she cried a little and drifted to sleep again, clutching handfuls of his shirt as if willing him to come with her as she slept. Once woken, she did not seem to have trouble again for the rest of the night. She apologized profusely the first morning after it happened, but Edward tried to make her understand it was no trouble at all. He liked holding her - adored it, in fact - and since he did not sleep anyway, she wasn't causing any trouble.

Whether or not she believed him Edward didn't know, but she had not tried to apologize again.

Now he settled their full backpacks on his back, one thrown casually over each shoulder. It looked a little silly, but he didn't care. No one would see anything once they were running, and it didn't make sense for Bella to wear a pack when he was just going to be carrying her anyway.

"Are you sure this is the best way to travel?" she asked anxiously as they stepped into the concealing cover of the forest.

"Not the fastest or most convenient, I'll admit," Edward said, and he smiled at his girl as she bit her lip and watched him nervously. "But really the only way right now, I'm afraid."

"Won't you get tired or sore?"

Edward chuckled as he swung her nonexistent weight up into his arms. "No."

"I hate feeling like a dead weight."

"You're very much a _live_ weight," Edward said, smiling as he kissed her temple. She slid her arms around him, nestling closer. Though she no longer had a fever, she still did not seem affected by his temperature. Edward couldn't quite understand it, but he wasn't about to argue with her if she wanted his touch. "And _weight_ really isn't the word for you, anyway. You weigh less than a feather."

"Mm." Bella made a noncommittal sound. "I think I've eaten more in the past few days than a normal two-week period."

"Not normal anymore, little one," Edward said, pressing his lips to her skin again. "That's all in the past now."

"I know." She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder. "It still feels surreal sometimes."

"I expect it will for a while yet. But you've nothing to fear, Bella. I'm here to stay."

"I love you, Edward."

"I know." Edward smiled. It wasn't the first time she'd said the words - that had happened during a sleepy late night when she'd woken from a bad dream. But they filled him with peaceful warmth every time he heard them. "Are you ready to go?"

"I think so." She nestled a little closer to him, her arms tightening around his shoulders. "Are you sure I can't hurt you?"

"Not a bit." He kissed her temple again. "Hold on as tight as you like, little one."

She tucked her head close to his, burying her face against him, and Edward took that as his cue. With a quick glance around to make sure there were no hikers to see them, they were off.

* * *

Some time in the afternoon four days later, Edward slowed his steps to a jog, then a walk. Bella was on his back, wearing her backpack, while he held the strap of his bag in his hand. Switching positions every so often had been good for her, though it made no difference to his vampire strength how he carried her. But her muscles grew restless and achy being kept in one position for hours at a time, and even with frequent breaks to let her walk and stretch they had learned that changing things up as much as possible was best. Bella never complained, which Edward found worrying more than pleasant. He wished she was more vocal about her body's physical needs, but he understood why she wasn't. For years she'd had obedience and silence beaten into her, and it would take time for those terrible memories to be undone.

Now he knelt and allowed Bella to slide from his back. She landed awkwardly and staggered a little, and she might have fallen if he had not whirled around and caught her arm, steadying her.

"It's okay," she said, a pale pink blush sweeping across her expressive face. "My foot just fell asleep."

"You're supposed to tell me if anything like that happens, you know," he said gently, trying not to sound angry. He'd learned quickly that scolding just sent her right back into that subservient mindset he wanted her to leave behind.

"I didn't notice." She shook her leg and moved her ankle around in small circles.

Edward smiled as he knelt next to her and took her leg in his cold hands, gently rubbing to help circulation return. She was dressed in the jeans he'd bought her, and he rather missed the soft, stretchy cotton of the yoga pants. Still, it was her choice, and she knew they would be reaching their destination today. No doubt the thicker, less form-fitting material made her feel a little more secure.

"We're almost home," Edward said, standing up and offering her his hand. She took it without hesitation, a fact that always filled Edward with joy. "It's just a few minutes away. I wanted to stop now and give you the chance to collect yourself. Did you have any questions before we keep going?"

Bella began to shake her head slowly, but her lip was between her teeth again and Edward knew perfectly well what that meant.

"Sweet girl, it's okay. You can tell me anything."

"I just..." She paused, her big brown eyes troubled. "What if they don't like me?"

Edward bit back a chuckle, knowing she would take it the wrong way. "They will love you, Bella," he said again, trying to reassure her though her fears were absolutely ridiculous. There was no way his family wouldn't accept her.

"But I'm human," she said, her expression still nervous.

"Doesn't matter. I don't love you any less for that, and neither will they." Edward kissed her temple. "Are you ready to go, or do you need a minute?"

She did not seem altogether eager, but she shook her shoulders back and took a deep breath. Her long hair rippled as she moved, gleams of sunlight shining along the dark strands. It was beautiful, and it moved like water as Edward watched. She absolutely entranced him. "I'm ready," she said quietly.

"Good girl. How would you like to finish this trip? In my arms or on my back?"

"Back, please."

Edward had been hoping for a different answer - he loved holding her in his arms, her small body tucked close against his, but the point was to make her fragile human body as comfortable as possible. He knelt willingly and helped her up, her thin legs wrapping themselves snugly around his waist. "Hold on," he murmured, turning his head to smile reassuringly at her as she clutched his shoulders tightly. "Just a few more minutes, and we'll be home.

True to his calculations, Edward saw the sleek lines of his family's modern house in the middle of the woods come into view just minutes later. He slowed to a jog as he found the driveway, and then walked the last little bit to give Bella a chance to catch her breath and prepare herself.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, her heart rate beginning to pick up as they neared the building.

"You'll have to tell Esme. She designed it."

"I'd love to be able to do something like that," Bella said wistfully.

"I'm sure she'd be happy to teach you the basics. No one else in the family really shares her passion, and she loves company while she works. She says having people around reminds her to keep them in mind while she designs. It helps her remember that a house isn't just a work of art, but something that should be functional and comfortable as well."

"She sounds amazing."

"She is," Edward agreed. He stopped walking as they neared the house, and he knelt to let Bella down. She slid reluctantly from his back, her movements slow. Edward opened his mouth to reassure her again, but before he could get the words out the front door flew open and six vampires rushed out.

"Edward!" Alice screeched. She was in front of the rest of them, and Edward barely had time to straighten and brace for impact before she slammed into his arms. He caught her as she hugged him fiercely, gabbling and scolding him nonsensically at vampire speed.

"Alice," he groaned as she almost wrung his neck with the force of her embrace, "can't breathe!"

"You don't need to breathe anyway," she grumbled, but the joke worked to calm her and she dropped back to her feet and stepped away from him.

Bella had ducked behind Edward when the mass of bodies rushed out the door, and she was cowering there, shaking like a leaf and pressing her face into the back of his shirt. He wanted to turn to comfort her, but just as Alice stepped away Esme took her place.

His mother's hug was gentle, unlike his tiny sister's ferocity. Edward put his arms around her.

"I was so worried," she said when she finally stepped back, and she pressed a motherly hand against the side of his face. "You didn't come home, and then Alice started having awful visions about bars and a werewolf, and you were screaming..." She shook her head as if to clear it. "I'm so glad you're safe." Esme gave him another hug, and suddenly stilled in his arms. She reached up on her tiptoes and peered over his shoulder for a long moment.

"Bella," Edward said, releasing Esme and shifting his body a little, "Bella, it's okay."

She only pressed closer against him, her face still hidden in the back of his shirt.

"I know it was a little sudden, but I promise everything is okay, Bella," he said, trying to coax her out from behind him.

Esme stepped deftly to his side and placed a hand on Bella's arm. He watched nervously, unsure how Bella would react to so many new people at once. She was a shy little thing, and with good reason. When was the last time anyone had ever touched her kindly, or given a thought to her well-being?

"Bella," Esme said softly. "Bella, honey, it's all right. You're safe, child. Will you look at me?"

She shifted her body further, trying to keep Edward's bulk between her and the other vampires, but she raised damp, shimmering brown eyes obediently to Esme's warm gaze.

"I'm Esme Cullen," Edward's mother continued, her voice low and gentle, more soothing than Edward had ever heard it before. "Edward is my son. Alice saw you save him, and he's relayed to us by phone a little of what you've been through together. I can't thank you enough, honey, for all you've risked. All you've done. It's nothing short of amazing."

Bella's soft eyes were considering the woman before her, and Edward relaxed a little as he felt her heart rate slow. It was only a little, but it was progress. He'd been worried about this meeting and knew it would likely be difficult for Bella, but she seemed to be handling things reasonably well as long as she only had to focus on one new face at a time.

"He was hurting," Bella whispered, her face still pale and a little frightened, though her furious heart was slowly calming. "I just did what anyone would do."

"No, Bella," Esme said, rubbing her arm gently. "Not many would help a vampire - trust me."

"Vampire or human, he's still a person."

"Yes, and that's what you said when you first met him, isn't it?" Esme smiled fondly. "How refreshing to meet someone with such an unprejudiced outlook. Please don't worry about a thing, Bella, sweetheart. You're part of this family now, and you have our undying loyalty and gratitude."

Bella's pale little face flushed deeply red, and she dropped her eyes to the ground. "Don't thank me," she almost begged. "Please, don't thank me."

Esme raised questioning eyes to Edward, who shrugged helplessly. He knew it would take time to build Bella's shattered self-confidence back up to where it should be, but for now he didn't want to push. "We won't, little one," he said, and he slowly shifted so he could slide an arm around her and draw her out from behind him. She didn't move so much as let him slide around her, until her back was pressed to his front and he settled his arms firmly around her waist. "Not if it makes you uncomfortable. Now, are you ready to meet the rest of the family?"

Bella hesitated, and the color did not bleed from her cheeks. She raised shy eyes to Esme, who smiled encouragingly and waited for her to speak.

"I - I wanted to say that your house is beautiful," Bella finally said, her voice no more than a whisper. "Edward told me you made it."

Esme's gentle smile broadened. "I didn't lay the concrete and anyone will tell you my skills with sheetrock are less than phenomenal, but I did design it, yes. I'm so glad you like it. Will you come inside, and we can all sit while we get to know each other properly?"

Bella looked inquiringly up at Edward, who gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll stay right with you," he promised. "You're safe. I've got you."

Her hesitant nod made Esme positively beam. She waved them forward, and the huddled members of the rest of the family sprang to life, hurrying inside as well.

Edward kept an arm around Bella's waist as they walked at human speed through the door. Her eyes were big as she took in the eclectic mix of decorations, the vaulted ceiling and open, airy rooms. He wanted to whisper reassuring words in her ear, but didn't really know what to say. This was all so new to him, being reassuring. He was so used to pushing people away, of hiding and keeping his family's secret, that now he didn't quite know how to make Bella feel comfortable. She seemed to take comfort from staying close to him, though, and he was only too happy to oblige.

They settled in the living room on Esme's white couches and armchairs. Edward tucked Bella into a corner of the couch and sat beside her, hoping she'd feel most secure there. He handed her a throw pillow, which she hugged gratefully to her chest, and she snuggled under the arm he slipped around her shoulders.

_Alice saw some of the abuse you witnessed,_ Esme thought to Edward. _We don't know the full extent of what's happened to the poor girl, but I have no doubt you know more than we do. Will she consent to having Carlisle examine her for injuries?_

Edward shrugged his shoulders lightly, a small enough movement that Bella didn't seem to notice. He wished he had a better answer for his mother, but he didn't honestly know whether Bella would consent to a physical exam. Luckily he'd done his best that first day in a hotel, and was therefore reasonably sure she had no immediate health threats other than malnutrition and the jagged cut in her arm that still did not want to heal. He'd prefer Carlisle's more thorough knowledge as reassurance, but that was completely up to Bella.

"Bella, welcome," Carlisle said, breaking into Edward's musings. He watched Bella's reaction to his father carefully, hoping she would be all right. Both Carlisle and Jasper had blond hair, like James, and he worried that it might upset her. But she seemed all right so far, nestled into the corner of the couch and the crook of his arm. Her heart was still beating faster than normal, but she didn't feel so close to panic anymore.

"You're Carlisle," Bella whispered, surprising Edward.

"Yes," Carlisle replied, a slow smile growing over his face. "How did you know that?"

She shifted a little as if trying to get closer to Edward, though that wasn't physically possible. "You look a little older," she said, her fingertips running over the pillow hugged tightly to her chest. "And you're in charge. I can tell."

Of course she could. Her time with James would have taught her how to read things like power dynamics, even in something as small as body language. Edward rubbed her shoulder encouragingly. He was happy she was talking, though anything that reminded him of James made him furious.

"Well," Carlisle said with a soft chuckle, "we try to run a democratic household as much as possible. Esme and I do make final decisions sometimes, when necessary."

"Bella," Alice said, interrupting impatiently, "Jasper said I scared you when I jumped at Edward. I'm sorry! I didn't even think. I just get so excited sometimes, and things just happen. I'm Alice, by the way. We're going to be great friends; I've seen it!"

"You're the one Edward calls on the phone," Bella said, her voice fractionally louder. "You helped us in Missouri."

"Well, of course! Family sticks together, after all, and you were there for Edward when we couldn't be. Normally I can see trouble coming so we avoid it, but I just couldn't tell where he was. There were no landmarks so I could find him." Alice looked troubled. "It's not perfect, this gift."

"I think it's wonderful," Bella said hesitantly.

Alice beamed. "Well, it _does_ come in handy from time to time," she said. "For instance, I already know you absolutely love the room we prepared for you!"

"A room?" Bella blinked rapidly. "A-a real room? For me?"

"Of course, silly! Though I know you'll be sleeping with Edward more often than not, you still need your own place, with your own things. We all have our own rooms. Well, sort of. Carlisle and Esme have offices rather than bedrooms. Did Edward tell you we don't sleep?"

Bella nodded softly. "I - I won't tell anyone anything," she said quickly, glancing around at everyone. She swallowed nervously. "I'm good with secrets."

"I'm sure you are," Esme said, a hint of remorse in her eyes. Edward felt it, too. He knew full well how many terrible secrets Bella had had to hide, and for how long.

"Quit with the heavy stuff," Emmett complained, rising from his chair and moving forward. He sat on the edge of the coffee table near Bella and grinned at her. "I'm the big brother around here, even though I'm actually the youngest. Once you start at school with us, you let me know if anyone's hassling you. Eddie here, too. He lays a finger on you and I'll squash him."

Bella's eyes went wide, and Edward didn't know if it was because of Emmett's teasing threat or just the sheer proximity of a vampire his size. Emmett could be extremely intimidating at first glance.

"Dude, don't tell me he already has," Emmett said, misinterpreting Bella's stare. "Ed - "

"It's not like that, Emmett!" Edward snapped in exasperation, tightening his hold on Bella and trying to keep her calm.

"Oh no?" Emmett smiled knowingly. "You just wait, little brother. Bella, I mean it. One finger, and his ass is mine."

She turned deep red and hid her face against Edward's shoulder. He cupped her cheek with his free hand, easing the heat of her blush.

"Lay off, you oaf," Rose said irritably, pulling Emmett back beside her. "Can't you see you're embarrassing her?"

"But - "

"It's also clear that your warning is far too late to be of use, anyhow," she went on, her golden eyes locked knowingly with Edward's. He made a face. He and Rose were never the closest of siblings, and her reaction had been the one he was most anxious about. In normal circumstances she would not welcome a human into the house with open arms, fearing the disruption and possible trouble for the family. But this wasn't a normal situation. Bella belonged with him, and she needed a home. Her father was dead, her mother god knew where, and she had no place left to go.

Rosalie took Emmett's abandoned spot, perching elegantly on the edge of the coffee table. She leaned forward, her brilliant eyes intense. Edward tightened his grip on Bella and had to bite back a warning hiss. His human girl's heart rate had sped up immediately as Rose drew nearer, and her dark eyes looked enormous in her small pale face. He knew Rosalie wouldn't actually hurt her, but that didn't mean she wasn't scaring her.

"I'm Rosalie," Rose said, staring intently into Bella's eyes, ignoring the signs of fear. "Let's get a few things straight right now. I don't like humans, and I don't appreciate new people horning in on my family." She paused to let the words sink in. Edward wanted to bite her head off, but knew it would only scare Bella more if they started arguing. "But," Rose continued, "I also realize that it's not my choice to make, and Edward has been alone far too long." She eyed Bella up and down, and Edward was prouder than he thought he had ever been of his girl as she held steady under that piercing gaze. "That being said, I also have a message for Edward here." Her eyes suddenly flicked to him, and Edward froze. He hadn't expected that. "Your brother Emmett is the gentlest, sweetest man I have ever met. You are not. You put one foot out of line with this girl - one toe, even - and you bring the wrath of Rosalie Hale down on you. Got it? I may not know all of what she's been through, but I know enough. She needs gentleness and patience, traits you're not particularly known for." Rose paused again. "But I can see that she trusts you. And like I said, it's not up to me. Just remember - one toe out of line. One pinky toe, even." She raised a warning finger in his direction before getting up and leaving Edward and Bella in peace.

"You're a hard act to follow," Jasper said, lifting one corner of his mouth in Rosalie's direction. A light wave of calm settled across the room, and Edward flashed a grateful look at his brother as Bella stopped trembling and relaxed a little against him. "I'm Jasper, by the way. Forgive me for not shaking your hand, but - "

"It's okay," Bella said, her voice quiet but steady. "Edward told me you're new at this. I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable." She bit her lower lip uncertainly, and Edward rubbed her shoulder.

"Don't apologize," Jasper said, looking at her with enough force behind his words that she knew he took her seriously. "It is for me to learn control, not for you to change what you are."

Edward saw Alice draw breath to argue, and he shot her a warning look.

_It's going to happen, Edward, whether you want it to or not,_ she thought to him, scowling a little. She hated when people purposefully tried to go against her visions. _I've seen it, and all your insistence hasn't changed the vision one bit. She will be one of us._

Not if he had anything to do with it, Edward thought furiously. He knew Alice couldn't hear his thoughts as he heard hers, but it didn't matter. He'd find a way to change the vision. There had to be a way.

But Alice was looking at him as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. She pursed her dainty pixie mouth, and suddenly Edward's inner sight was flooded by a vision of the future. He was in the forest, walking, casting his eyes around as if looking for something. Suddenly a blur dropped from a branch above his head, landing on his back. It was Bella. Her legs went around his waist, her arms around his shoulders, and she leaned forward to nuzzle his neck with her nose. She was an absolute vision, her beauty a little sharper, more defined. Before she opened her eyes, he knew she was a vampire. He didn't need the telltale gold to figure that out. It was the light in those eyes, and the joyful smile on her face, that surprised him. She was a vampire, and she was cuddling him playfully. She was...happy. Edward didn't know what to think.

"Edward?"

Her worried voice brought him instantly back to the present, and he smiled reassuringly at her as she chewed on her lower lip.

"It's the mind-reading," Esme said soothingly, and she sat on the arm of the couch next to Bella. "He and Alice do it all the time, trading thoughts and visions. You'll get used to it after a while. Are you hungry, sweetheart? We stocked the kitchen when Edward told us you were coming."

"I don't think so right now," Bella said quietly, "but thank you."

"Why don't we let you two escape upstairs for a while, then?" Esme suggested, and Edward could have kissed her for her thoughtfulness. "Edward, her room is the one just across from yours. Alice wanted to put a bed in your room, too, but we prevailed on her to wait and see what you preferred. We know you don't like people messing with your things."

"Thank you," Edward said to his mother, and he didn't know when he had ever meant those words quite so fervently. Bella was trembling again - not badly, but he could feel the fine tremors as she tried to tuck herself further under his arm. She needed time to sit quietly before being subjected to so many new faces again.

"Bella, I know you need some time alone with Edward," Alice called, "but we're going shopping to fill your closet in the next few days. No arguing! I'd have done it before you got here, but Edward wouldn't give me your sizes. It's better for you to try things on, anyway."

Edward personally felt that it might take more than a few days before Bella was ready to go to a large, crowded mall, but as he guided her up the stairs he said nothing. Bella had surprised him before with her fortitude and resilience, and he had no doubt she would continue to do so.

But it was clear she needed some time to relax right now, so he led her upstairs and opened the door Esme had indicated.

She and Alice had really outdone themselves, he thought as he stepped into the room. It was large and bright and airy, but that was par for the course in this house. The guest room feel had been completely wiped away, and it now looked like a room where someone actually lived. The queen-sized bed had a fluffy white down comforter, folded down at one corner to reveal deep purple sheets. It went well with the dark iron head- and foot-boards. The floors were polished wood, and there were three white walls and one purple accent wall surrounding the white slatted doors to Bella's closet. There was a white dresser and a white desk with a new laptop computer waiting on it, and by the tall windows there was a papasan chair with a purple cushion. Tall white bookshelves framed the windows on either side, some of the shelves left empty and others filled with what Edward could see were Bella's new schoolbooks.

Edward turned to look at Bella, whose eyes were gigantic. "Is all this...for me?" she whispered, gazing around at the beautiful room.

"Do you know anyone else named Isabella who wants it?" Edward teased gently. He motioned to the wall next to the door, where someone - probably Esme - had framed a long piece of paper. It said "Isabella" in gorgeous, perfect calligraphy.

"This is too much," Bella murmured, her hands in front of her mouth.

"Isn't!" Alice hollered from downstairs, and Edward had to bite back a laugh. "Say thank you, Bella, and move on!"

Bella's cheeks turned pink. "You told me vampire hearing was good," she said, "but I didn't realize it was that good."

A chorus of laughter from downstairs made her blush a deeper shade of rose.

"It's okay, little one," Edward said, drawing her to sit with him on the bed. "Since we all live in close proximity, we do our best to ignore each other." He frowned. "That didn't come out quite right."

Bella smiled, running a hand wonderingly over the snowy white comforter. "I understand what you meant."

"I'm sorry if anyone frightened you or made you uncomfortable," Edward said as she tucked herself more securely under his arm. "They were just very excited to meet you."

"I take it it's not every day you bring girls home," Bella murmured, and her mouth curved into a tiny smile as she tipped her head up to him.

"Never in over a century." Edward smiled back, then dipped his head willingly when she tugged on his shirt, kissing her mouth softly. "You're the first," he whispered, "and the last. Love is a one-time thing for vampires, as I told you before. Do you still wonder why they're so excited to meet you?"

She bit her lip, a troubled frown appearing between her eyes, and Edward reached up with his free hand to smooth it away. It wouldn't disappear, and he sighed a little. "I wish...I wish I were still whole for you, Edward," she said, chewing on her lip. "That I could have waited, and given you - "

"Hush, sweetheart." He kissed her gently, licking her lower lip until her teeth released it. "Bella, you _are_ whole. You are complete, in and of yourself. The brutal way James used you, and allowed you to be used by the wolf, has no bearing on your wholeness as a person. Your virginity or lack thereof makes no difference to me. I may not be the first man to touch your body, but you told me I was the first to hold your heart, and I believe you. That's all that matters to me."

"First and last," Bella said, ducking her head and pressing closer to his cold body. "I don't want anybody else. Ever."

Edward chuckled. "Good. Because you're stuck with me."

He held her for several minutes, relishing the soft, pliable nature of her body, the warm silk of her skin when he stroked the back of her hand or touched her cheek. She was his now, and he really didn't care what had happened in the past. The past only mattered to the extent that it hurt Bella and her pain needed to be assuaged. Otherwise, he really didn't care. The status of her virginity had no bearing on their current relationship, and anyone who knew her past and judged her for it didn't deserve her.

"Edward?"

"Mm?" He kissed the top of her head, at peace, but felt her shift nervously against him.

"You...do you...want to be with me? Like that - physically, I mean?"

Edward couldn't see from this angle, but he bet that her lip was between her teeth again. It was an adorable habit, but he hated the fact that it meant she was anxious or troubled about something. While he knew he couldn't ease all her anxieties, they still bothered him. He sighed. This was a difficult question. "I do," he said, trying to be as honest as possible. "Believe me, I do. But I'm worried too, sweetheart. Even without your past abuse, the fact remains that I'm a great deal stronger than you. I'm worried I might accidentally hurt you, which I'd never forgive myself for."

Bella was silent for a moment. "Does that mean it will never happen?" She sounded neither disappointed nor relieved - simply curious.

"I...really don't know. I could hurt you so, so easily, Bella." He wove his fingers through the soft strands of her hair, seeking comfort. "What do you feel, sweet girl? Tell me what you think."

She shrugged, and he felt the telltale heat radiating from her face that told him she was blushing. "I...don't know?" She sounded uncertain. "I want you, Edward, but I'm still scared. And I know it's stupid to feel this way, because you already touched me and you were so gentle..." Her voice trailed off, and he felt the muscles of her jaw moving against his chest as she chewed on her lip. "I would give you anything you asked for - anything you wanted. All of me," she whispered. "Without a second thought. But that doesn't mean I'm not scared."

"You've every right to be scared, sweetheart. I don't see how anyone wouldn't be."

"But I trust you, Edward," she said quietly. "And I trust that, when we're ready, you won't hurt me."

Edward kept his doubts to himself as he pulled her closer. She trusted him. The question was whether or not he could trust himself.

* * *

_EDWARD! GET DOWN HERE NOW!_

Edward snapped his eyes open at the frantic edge to Alice's mind-voice, and he pulled away from Bella's sleeping form as quickly and gently as he could. It was early the next morning - too early to expect Bella to wake, and he had been resting quietly next to her in her new bed, enchanted as always by the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.

Shadow, sun, and swirling morning mist combined to make the front of the house glisten in shades of pale blue and gold. The rest of the family had gathered on the porch and Edward rushed to join them. His still heart flew into his throat when he picked a vision from Alice's mind.

The Volturi. Alice didn't know why they were coming, but they'd be here any minute. Even if Bella stayed quiet upstairs, the red-eyed vampires would surely scent her. They would know.

"I've got to get her out of here."

"It's too late, Edward," Alice said nervously. "If you run, you'll only look guilty. They'll track you down and find you, and it won't be pretty."

"I won't just sit here and wait for them to - "

"Edward?"

He whirled, finding Bella's anxious eyes watching him. He'd been too distressed to hear her soft human footsteps, but now he caught her up in his arms and held her tightly.

"Edward, what's wrong?"

He couldn't bear to hear the fear in her voice, and he knew his actions were only scaring her further. She pressed herself against him, pushing further into his embrace. Edward raised pleading eyes to Carlisle, his arms never leaving his girl. "It's all right, Bella," he said, trying to keep his voice firm. "I'm going to keep you safe. It's okay."

"But what's going on?"

"She has a right to know, Edward," Rosalie said stonily. "This may be her last day alive, and she has a right to know why."

Bella's breath caught in her throat, and Edward could have ripped Rosalie to pieces in that moment as he felt his girl tremble in his arms.

When Edward did not speak, Carlisle stepped forward. "Bella, honey," he said, his voice soft and soothing - his doctor voice. "Did Edward ever explain that it was against the laws of our kind to reveal ourselves to humans?"

She turned her head toward Carlisle, not moving from Edward's arms. He felt her small nod against his shirt.

"Did he tell you that the enforcers of our laws are an important coven of very old vampires?"

"The Volturi," Bella whispered.

"Yes," Carlisle said, giving Edward a glance he could not interpret. "The Volturi. Alice has seen that they are coming - they will be here very soon. We don't know why."

"They'll know I'm here," Bella said quietly, instantly grasping the situation. "They'll think you broke the law."

Carlisle nodded unhappily.

Bella bit her lip. "Can we run?" she asked, tipping her head up to look at Edward. "Is there somewhere I can hide?"

"It's too late now," Alice said quickly. "They're coming up the drive; they'll smell you even if Edward carries you away. Best to put on a brave face."

"You are family, Bella," Carlisle said as the sound of tires on gravel hit Edward's ears. "We'll do our best to protect you."

"I'll die trying," Edward growled, and he meant it. He pressed her closer to his chest.

"Don't speak unless you are spoken to, honey," Esme said, speaking swiftly and quietly. She moved to stand beside Edward. "Be polite, and do as they say. They are firm, but not cruel for cruelty's sake. Edward, put her behind you."

Edward tipped Bella's head up and kissed her, wishing he had more time to hold her, talk with her - god, anything. Anything but this. "I _will_ protect you, Bella," he vowed, staring deep into her sweet brown eyes.

And then there was no more to be said. A sleek black limousine drew to a halt in front of the house, and Edward whirled to stand protectively in front of the small human girl who had now become his life. He would die for her; he was sure of that. Because without her, his life was not worth living.

The chauffeur climbed out of the car. Edward had half expected it to be an ordinary human pressed into service by the Volturi, but as soon as he saw the man's face he recognized him. Demetri, one of the guards. Edward stood shoulder to shoulder with Esme, and felt Emmett come up to flank his other side. At least they would show a united front protecting their newest family member.

Demetri opened the back door, and after a slight pause the graceful figure of Aro slid out of the car.

"Carlisle, my old friend!" the vampire said. His voice was dry and brittle as paper.

"Aro." Carlisle's voice was tight and formal. He stepped down from the porch, away from the protective line of the rest of his family, and shook Aro's hand. Edward felt Bella's small, warm fists gripping the back of his shirt, and the touch steeled his resolve. He wasn't going to lose her. Not now. He refused.

"To what do we owe the unexpected pleasure of your visit?" Carlisle asked.

Aro smiled. It was a whimsical gesture that did not set Edward at ease. Aro was the most mercurial of the three brothers, and that made him the most dangerous. You could never quite tell what he was going to do in any given situation, his respect for the laws notwithstanding.

"My scouts on this continent have shared some very interesting news with me," Aro said. "Shall we step inside and discuss it?"

"Of course." Carlisle turned and shared a long glance with Esme. She nodded almost imperceptibly and touched Edward's shoulder. He spun, guiding Bella before him into the house. Esme followed.

"Keep her behind you," she murmured. "It may not do any good, but we have to try."

Edward planned to do everything in his power to keep Bella safe. Aro never traveled alone; the only question was how many members of the guard he had with him.

Four, it turned out, when they were all settled in the living room. Edward leaned in the doorway, trying to look casual but rather afraid he was failing miserably. The rest of his family sat warily on couches and chairs, with Aro and his guards scattered among them. In addition to Demetri, Aro had also brought Felix, Jane, and Alec. The young twins were the most dangerous members of the guard, and Edward was not at all happy to see them. If Aro was mercurial, Jane was positively volatile.

"Several days ago, I received news from the heartland of this great country," Aro said, continuing his tale. He breathed in deeply, but said nothing about the tempting scent of human blood that pervaded the house. "A rather unusual sight had been found in the backwoods of Missouri. An abandoned trailer surrounded by cages. The smells of vampire and werewolf were positively everywhere, and my scouts found two gruesomely-mauled bodies nearby. Naturally, they called me for instructions."

"An intriguing tale," Carlisle said calmly, giving nothing away. "What, may I ask, did you order them to do?"

"Well, naturally we could not let human authorities find the scene. Can you imagine the predicament if they somehow learned something they should not? I ordered the scouts to bring me any evidence they could find, and then burn the site. They complied, but just imagine my surprise when I saw what they brought me." Aro reached into his pocket and pulled out a black leather wallet. It was smooth, the leather butter-soft. Edward instantly recognized it as his. "We have had little chance to converse, my young friend Edward," Aro continued, his red eyes snapping up and focusing intently on him. "I think the time is ripe to do so now."

"I was there," Edward said, trying to maintain a stoic facade and let nothing show. "What more do you want me to say?"

"Read me this riddle, young Cullen. Your eyes remain gold, and the corpses in Missouri did not appear to be vampire-kill. Yet your house smells strongly of a particularly luscious young girl, a girl I have yet to see because you are hiding her behind your back." The ancient vampire smiled like a cat with cream. "Suppose you tell me how to take this, Edward?"

"The humans had a technology that kept me incapacitated," Edward said tightly, neither moving nor admitting to anything concerning Bella. "I should think that would worry you more than anything else."

"A worrisome prospect, indeed," Aro said. "Can you explain any of it? How you were caught? What they used to hold you? How two insignificant humans even knew what you were to begin with?"

"I cannot."

"Can you at least explain to us how you managed to break free?"

"The werewolf created a diversion," Edward said, adamant that he would not mention Bella. "It was he who mauled the humans. Whatever else happened, I cannot tell you. I left quickly and did not look back."

"Like the Cullen you are," Alec sneered. "Leave a dog to do your work. What if he had not, hm? You would have let two humans who know of our presence - who held you captive - to walk free!"

"Peace, child," Aro said, holding out a restraining arm. He smiled widely at Edward. It was not a reassuring gesture. "I know why he did it." He paused. "You see, the scouts found something else while they examined the site. They found the scent-trails of many animals, one werewolf, one vampire...and _three_ humans. Two matched the rotting remains left to bake in the damp midwestern heat. The other, they claimed, was the scent of a young girl. A luscious scent, they said - almost intoxicating with its sweetness." Aro raised his eyebrows. "You carried her away, Edward, while the wolf devoured your captors. She is here in this house, and I want to see her."

"You can go to hell," Edward bit out, but a soft hand on his back stopped him from saying any more.

Bella moved slowly, peering around Edward's tense body. He could hear how fast her heart was beating, but she stood her ground remarkably well. "If it pleases you, Your Majesty," she said quietly, stepping up beside Edward, "I am here."

Aro eyed her for a long moment, his wide mouth slowly turning up in a pleased smile. "Very nice, Edward," he said finally. "I can see why you left the wolf to do your dirty work."

Edward growled deep in his chest and moved behind Bella, drawing her back against his chest and encircling her with his arms. She turned her head to nuzzle his shoulder gently before returning her gaze to the Volturi lord's.

"Can you answer the questions dear Edward could not, child?" Aro asked. "Do you know how he was captured and held when it has never been done before?"

"Not in any detail, Your Majesty," Bella said. Edward understood she was trying to obey Esme's directive to be polite, but flattery was something Aro absolutely did not need. "James was my captor as well as Edward's, and he said I was good for one thing only. He did not discuss his plans with me."

"Nonetheless," Aro said, "there may be something you have overheard. Come here, child." He beckoned her forward. "I can read your thoughts - your entire life's history - with a single touch. Come take my hand, and give me the information I require."

Bella tipped her head around, looking worriedly at Edward for a long moment. He gazed back at her, but could not think of a reasonable way to refuse Aro's command. When she stepped out of his arms he felt an intense desire to snatch her back, but knew it was futile. Aro had not threatened her life yet. Now was not the time to fight.

He ached for his scared, brave girl as she stepped across the room and held a trembling hand toward the Volturi lord. Aro encased her small palm in both of his, drawing her even closer to him, and bent his head over their twined hands. For a long moment no one said anything. No one breathed. Edward tried listening in on Alice's thoughts, but Aro had made no decisions yet and therefore Alice was seeing nothing useful.

"Fascinating," Aro said slowly, opening his eyes and turning them on Bella. His gaze was twice as interested this time, and Edward grit his teeth. The calculating look in Aro's red eyes was not reassuring. He was always looking for new oddities, and Edward was now terrified that he would want to add Bella to his collection. "I see nothing," Aro added. He glanced at Edward. "Do you hear her, mind reader?"

Edward forced himself to shake his head slowly, though he was anything but calm.

"I wonder if all our powers are similarly impaired around her." Aro turned his calculating gaze on Jane, who smiled cruelly.

"Mine does," Alice piped up.

"Does it, little one? I don't believe I've had the pleasure." He waved Alice over, and she walked fearlessly toward him. She squeezed Bella's shoulder reassuringly, then placed her hand in Aro's.

There was silence for a long moment while Aro searched Alice's thoughts and Edward looked on, desperate to know what the Volturi leader would decide. He wanted to call Bella back to the safety of his arms, but he didn't quite dare. Not quite yet.

"It is amazing," Aro said finally, drawing away and letting Alice drop her hand, "to see what you have seen, before it has happened."

Edward clenched his teeth and his fists. He could see Aro's thoughts easily, and he knew exactly what the ancient vampire wanted. He wanted to tear this family apart, taking its talented members to serve him in his guard. Jasper he didn't know about, and with Demetri around he thought little of Emmett's strength. He couldn't care less about Esme or Rosalie, though he thought they were lovely women. But he wanted Alice and Edward badly...and Bella, too.

Carlisle was the only thing stopping him. The family had broken no laws, had done nothing to incur the wrath of their overlords. Aro had no reason to punish them, and he would not act out against his old friend. But he was searching, scheming, trying to find a way to manipulate the situation with Bella into something of benefit to him.

"So the solitary single member of the Cullen clan has finally fallen in love," Aro said, settling on a tactic. Edward could already see Aro's scheme laid bare in his mind, but it did him little good. What Aro planned to say was nothing more than the truth. "What a pity she turned out to be human." He sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "_Such_ a pity, my young friend. You did not reveal yourself to her willingly, so I have no cause to punish yourself or your family. But the fact remains that the pretty girl is a liability. That liability must be removed."

"No!" Edward sprang forward, pulling Bella firmly behind his back. "I will not permit you to harm her!"

"Then change her, my boy. Those are your options. Either way, her human life is forfeit. Make your decision, for I grow thirsty and you must admit she is an appetizing little morsel."

"I'll die first," Edward vowed.

But again, Bella's soft hand on his back stopped him from pushing the volatile old lord any further. "Edward," she said quietly, "Edward, please."

He turned slowly, reluctant to show his back to the Volturi, and wrapped his arms around Bella when she pushed close to him. She touched his cheek with her warm hand, stroking softly with her thumb. "It's okay, Edward," she said, and he could not believe how calm her sweet brown eyes were. She had been afraid of one thing or another most of the time he'd known her. Now, at the moment her life lay in the balance, she seemed utterly peaceful. "Please," she said again, and though he didn't know what she was asking for, he understood the plea. "I don't mind," she murmured. "What has human life brought me but pain, anyway? You saved me from that, Edward, but you can't save me from this."

He shook his head tightly. "You don't know what you're saying, little one. There is a great deal of pain in this sort of existence." Frantically, he cast his mind around for someone sympathetic to his plight. "Rosalie, tell her! Tell her she doesn't want this."

But Rose's voice, though cold and firm, did not speak the words Edward wanted to hear. "Of course she doesn't want this," she said, "but what choice does she have? Be reasonable for once in your sorry life, Edward, and let her make this decision for herself."

"Do you not want me forever, Edward?" Bella asked, her voice hesitant and worried. "Is that why you're so set against this?"

"If he doesn't want you, lovely one, there is always room for you in Volterra after your change," Aro said. His tone was light, but his mind was otherwise and Edward held Bella a little tighter.

"I want you," he said firmly. "Forever, Bella. I said it, and I meant it. But I never wanted this sort of existence for you." He stroked her back, feeling the warm weight of her against his body. It was suddenly more precious than ever to him, as there was a very real possibility he might lose it forever. "Especially not like this. It's not a real choice, little one."

She bit her lip and shrugged helplessly. "Maybe not, but what else can I possibly do? I won't see any of you die for me, Edward. I won't."

"Is that settled, then?" Aro broke in. Edward had seen what he saw in Alice's mind: blurry visions of Bella as a vampire, gorgeous and ethereal. And just like Edward, it seemed that Aro was prone to fighting the future, trying to bend it to his will. "Will she change?"

"I will change, Your Majesty," Bella said quietly, turning to him once again.

"One of us will do it if Edward finds he cannot," Carlisle added, glancing at the entwined pair holding each other closely. "We give you our word."

Aro looked outwardly satisfied, though inwardly Edward could see him still scheming. This was not over. The Volturi would be watching them closely, waiting for them to slip up.

"I need time," he said, trying to make it sound like a firm demand. "She's still so young. Eighteen. Give her until she's eighteen, at least. You owe her that, Aro."

"I owe her nothing, and I grow weary of your constant whining," Aro said, rising to his feet. He gestured to the guard members, who closed quickly to ring him. "You have two weeks, young mind reader. My scouts will be keeping watch. If she has not begun the change in fourteen days, we will return in force. Have I made myself clear?"

"Abundantly," Carlisle said, shooting Edward a look telling him to keep quiet. "Let me walk you to your car, Aro. You must be tired."

"Thirsty, only, my old friend," Aro said flicking his eyes to Bella a final time before giving up on her blood and allowing Carlisle to lead him from the house. "Keep an eye on that son of yours. Two weeks, remember."

"We won't forget," Carlisle vowed.

Edward released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, and he drew Bella down onto a couch with him. He'd be in tears if he could still cry, he thought, as he held her close. Now that Aro was gone she was shaking in his arms, her face buried in the crook of his neck.

"That was extremely well done, Bella," Esme said, stroking her dark hair gently. "And exceedingly courageous. You played him just right, flattering him as you did."

Edward kept silent. Bella's sweet nature had only fueled Aro's interest in her, but he had no wish to contradict his mother. Not right now.

"It's okay, sweet girl," Edward whispered, lifting one of her hands and kissing her knuckles gently. "He's gone. You're safe. You're fine."

"Look on the bright side," Emmett said, his voice full of forced cheer. "If you suck at high school the first time, you'll have plenty of tries to get it right later."

Bella shook harder in Edward's arms, and he was shocked to hear a watery laugh from her. "It's okay, Edward," she said, taking a deep breath and nestling more comfortably against him. "This isn't the end of the world."

"Maybe not," Jasper said, speaking up for the first time that day. "But we've still got troubles ahead."

"Like what?" Emmett asked, frowning. "The Volturi are gone, man. Eddie will bite Bella, and she'll wake up not so squashy. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, from our perspective. But there's another party who may not see things the same way."

Esme caught her breath, and Edward understood without even attempting to pluck the information from Jasper's brain. The wolf pack. They were going to have to explain this to the wolf pack.

* * *

Two days later, the entire Cullen clan - plus Bella - waited quietly at the treaty line for the wolf pack to appear. Edward had been dead-set against Bella coming along, particularly given her intense fear of werewolves, but Carlisle reasoned that the wolves would find their story more believable if Bella were there. She could provide the evidence that no one else was able to. She could tell Sam and his followers that she was giving up her human life of her own free will.

Edward held her securely tucked against his side, not wanting to release her even for a minute. Her stomach grumbled, but he didn't smile. She'd been too nervous all day today to eat, and though it worried him he couldn't bring himself to force her.

Bella really had been an absolute gem since Aro left. She was pragmatic about the whole business, and accepted her fate with a willingness Edward found hard to bear.

"I don't believe in fate," she'd told him just the night before. "I never did. It was too hard to accept that I was fated to live with James, to be his toy. And even after meeting you, I never really thought about becoming a vampire. Maybe I'm slow, but it just never really crossed my mind. I was too busy thinking about the fact that I was finally free, and that there was someone in my life who loved me. Someone who wanted me for me, as a person and not a thing. I want you to know that I wasn't scheming for this from the beginning or anything. But I'm okay with it, Edward. I really am. It means I get you for eternity, and no one like James will ever be able to hurt me again."

It was true, too. Edward knew that. But he still hated the thought of taking Bella's human life. This wasn't what he had wanted for her, when he took her from the Midnight Carnival.

Now he held her tighter as the lone howl of a wolf sounded through the nighttime forest. She shivered a little, but said nothing.

"Remember, Edward, you're here to translate if they will not show themselves in human form," Carlisle said, his voice firm. "Don't let them antagonize you. Sam is a reasonable man, but some of his pack are young and foolhardy. We are here to ask for a favor, remember. Don't let them goad you into a fight."

The sound of padding wolf paws grew louder, and a moment later a tall dark-skinned man strode from the trees on the other side of the treaty line.

"Sam," Carlisle said, raising a hand.

"Cullen." Sam was wary, stopping well away from the line of vampires. "I'll have you know I summoned the rest of the pack when I scented you. They'll be here momentarily."

"I don't mind," Carlisle said. "We've come here to talk."

Sam jerked his chin in Bella's direction. "What's with the human?"

"Bella is my son's mate, and the newest member of our family."

Sam froze. "No," he said firmly. "Oh, no. You can't. The treaty firmly states - "

"This is a special circumstance, Sam," Carlisle interrupted. "Please, let me explain."

"The treaty is in place for a reason! There will be no feeding, no biting! You do this, and you declare war."

Carlisle sighed as Edward picked up the sound of more wolves approaching. Something about one of their minds tickled at his memory, but he couldn't quite place it. "Won't you listen, please? This truly is a matter of life and death."

"Everything with you bloodsuckers is," Sam spat, just as the rest of the pack appeared behind him, all in wolf form.

Bella caught her breath and froze against Edward. He rubbed her shoulder gently, assuming her general fear of werewolves was causing her reaction. But then he saw the russet-colored wolf whose black eyes had locked onto her and he froze as well.

Hell.

The wolf attacked, launching itself at Edward with an open snout and snarling teeth. _She's mine!_ he heard, the furious thought ringing in his head. The wolf knocked them down, and Edward shoved Bella violently away, hoping someone from his family would catch her as he rolled, wrestling with the huge mass of muscle and fur. Teeth snapped near his neck, and Edward forced his hand into the wolf's mouth, way back where it didn't have teeth. He yanked, trying to dislocate the jaw, but his angle was wrong. They rolled again, and Edward was able to grab an ear and hurl the monster off his body.

"Bella!" he said, unable to tear his eyes from the werewolf long enough to check for her. "Bella, get to one of the family and get out of here!"

Her mind was blank to him, as always, and he did his best to focus on the wolf. It was up again, one torn ear bloody, and it circled Edward, waiting for the opportunity to pounce again.

"Jacob says the girl is his," Sam said, confusion lacing his voice.

"She belongs to no one," Rosalie snapped back, a furious edge to her voice that Edward could completely understand. "But she's chosen to stay with Edward. If your pup here can't understand that, he's stupider than the rest of you."

"Rosalie," Carlisle said, and that was all it took for her angry words to cease. "Sam! Call him off. Have him appear in human form so we can understand."

Jacob growled furiously, fighting the order every step of the way, but he eventually disappeared behind a rock and returned in human form. To Edward he looked just like any other two-legged wolf - bare-chested and dark-haired, one ear still bleeding. But Bella whimpered, and he knew for a fact that this was indeed the wolf from the Midnight Carnival This was the wolf she had been used as bait to lure.

"It's okay, Bella," he said, once he was sure Sam's directive effectively held Jacob still. "Come here, sweet girl."

She had been crouched behind a protective phalanx of Rose, Esme, and Jasper, but she immediately rushed into his arms when he opened them to her. Fury rolled through his body in tight red waves as he felt her shake against him. This wolf had assaulted her - had put her in the hospital, even. And now she was being forced to stand in front of him again, to see the human face that haunted her nightmares even more than James did. He wrapped her tightly in his arms, holding her head against his shoulder and letting her hide there.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't tear you apart," he growled in the direction of the furious wolf.

"She's mine!" Jacob screeched. "She called to me, gave herself to me! That's how I was caught! I stopped James from killing her - not you, me! By all rights, she is mine!"

"Are you insane?" Rose sneered, but Carlisle held up a restraining hand.

"Bella," he said gently, "Bella, I know this is difficult, but I need you to answer me. Is this the werewolf from the Midnight Carnival? The one James forced you to play bait to capture?"

She nodded against Edward's shoulder. "Yes," she said quietly.

Carlisle sighed. "I assume you've heard her story, then?" he asked Sam.

"Only some," Sam said. "How did she come to be in your possession?"

"She's not a possession!" Edward snapped. "While your pup here was mauling the idiots who held us captive, I rescued Bella. He was enraged by blood at that point and would have ripped her to pieces, too, if he'd got hold of her."

"I wouldn't!" Jacob insisted. "She's mine, and I claimed her!"

"She was injured and ill. I tended her and brought her home with me," Edward continued, trying to ignore Jacob's outburst. The young werewolf was straining against his alpha's direct order - every line in his large frame was tensed to spring. "I love her dearly, and she loves me. Your pup can whine all he likes, but she isn't a toy or a prize. She's made her decision."

"Is this true?" Sam was clearly asking Bella, and she nodded again. She took a deep breath and pulled her face from the crook of Edward's shoulder, turning sparkling, wet eyes to the leader of the pack.

"It's true," she said quietly. "James tied me up as bait for a werewolf. I didn't do it on purpose. I want Edward, no one else."

Sam sighed. "Jake, I really don't think - "

But before he could complete his sentence, a feral roar from Jacob broke the tense moment, ripping it apart. He leaped, forcing himself free of his alpha's control, and phased in the air. His body connected solidly with Edward's, knocking them to the ground again. Edward heard a short, sharp cry from Bella, then silence.

Rage blinded him then, and he forced the rogue wolf to its back. The wolf whirled, on its feet again in an instant, but the damage had already been done. In the moment it took to right itself, Edward struck. He landed on the animal's back, squeezing hard with his impossibly-strong arms. Several sickening cracks and a high, keening yelp met his ears as Jacob's ribs cracked and he dropped like a stone.

The wolf was still alive; Edward could hear its heart. But it wasn't coming after him or Bella, so he picked himself up and turned to face her.

The sight broke him.

She was on her back, panting and gasping with pain, a deep gouge ripped down her side. Carlisle knelt next to her, but it was clear even with his medical expertise he could do nothing. The damage was too severe. Blood pulsed from her body with each beat of her heart, and her eyes were already glazing over. Werewolf claws had ripped deep into the soft tissue and organs, and she jerked a little as death began its inexorable pull.

"Sam, I'm sorry," Carlisle said, tense and clipped, "but we really have no choice. Edward, I need help."

Without another thought, Edward dropped to his knees beside his soft, human girl for the last time. He brushed a kiss across her parted lips, feeling the warmth of her panting breath. "It'll be okay, Bella," he promised. "Just hold tight for a little while longer, and everything will be okay."

With that, he bent and buried his teeth deep into her flesh.

Alice joined them after a moment, helping Edward and Carlisle to bite everywhere - everywhere they could. The rest of the family huddled a fair distance away, keeping Jasper away from the blood. Bella's body jerked reflexively with each injection of venom into her system, but Edward suspected she was past comprehension at this point. Her heart was slowing, and there was more venom than blood in her body now.

"Alice," he hissed, lifting his head when there was no more they could do. "Alice, what happens? Please, show me!"

She was breathing deeply through her mouth, trying to refuse the scent of all the pooled blood. "I think she'll be okay, Edward," she said. "I think it's okay."

Carlisle sat back, his usually immaculate self coated with blood. "We have to move her before the sun rises," he said. "It's not safe here."

Without a glance at the silent wolves, Edward drew Bella's body into his arms. For the first time, she did not curl towards him as he held her. Her head lolled against his arm, and he fought down panic. Alice said it would be okay. He clung to that hope as he rushed Bella back to the house.

Once there, he undressed her carefully. Without a word, he allowed Alice and Rosalie to help him sponge her clean, and place her on her bed. Her heart was still beating, but it was agonizingly slow. Between each soft pound Edward held his breath, waiting for the next.

Carlisle came in moments later and hesitantly touched her skin. "I wanted to stitch her up," he said, shaking his head, "but it's too late now. Already her skin is too hard for the needle."

"That's a good sign, right?"

Carlisle did not answer, but Edward refused to be cowed by his father's silence. He refused to think that Bella would die. This would not be a normal transformation, as she had so little blood left in her body and so much venom. Small amounts of translucent, pinkish liquid dripped from her gaping wound, but she was no longer actively bleeding. But he refused to believe that she would die.

As the day crept mercilessly by, Edward curled up next to her pale, still body. Though he knew inwardly she was burning, her body was actually growing colder to his touch. Her scent was changing, too, growing sharper and more distinct. She still smelled absolutely wonderful, but it was no longer the smell of something he wanted to eat.

With nothing else to do, Edward began to talk. "It will be strange, for a while, when you wake up," he told her. "But I'll be here by your side. Every moment, Bella, I promise. Every second, every day, for forever. You've been so brave, so fearless and strong. Just hang on a little longer, and the pain will go away. You'll wake up, and I'll be here."

He talked about everything they would do once she was awake - learning to run at vampire speed, and the thrill of the hunt. He talked about school, and college, telling her that she could do absolutely anything she put her mind to. They would travel - visit Paris if she wished, and London. Or they could spend months on Isle Esme, soaking in the warm sun with no one to see.

Her heart stilled sometime in the evening and did not beat again. Edward froze, waiting. The awakening was not always instantaneous, but with each moment of pale silence from Bella's body he feared the worst. Had they not reached her in time? Had she not had enough blood left in her body to survive all the way through the transformation?

And then, as the moon rose clear and cool above the evergreens, Edward both heard and felt Alice visibly relax.

A moment later, Bella opened her eyes.

**Fin.**


End file.
